Court decision marks death of democracy

Jan. 21. Mark this date on your calendar. This will be remembered as the day democracy died. Or maybe not. Because the victors write the history, corporations may ignore this final coup d'etat, or will call it a victory over socialism.

Previous Supreme Courts have made bad decisions; Plessey v. Ferguson (separate but equal schools) and the Dred Scott case are among the first that come to mind.

On Jan. 21, the court ruled that neither corporations, unions, nor other groups can be limited in the money they can spend on elections. There is now nothing to stop corporations from buying all the legislators, judges, city council members, or school board members they want and need.

This Congress might just as well adjourn and go home. Anything it does in this session is subject to change by a subsequent Congress of corporate shills. Say goodbye to health care reform, banking reform, product safety standards, any kind of consumer protection regulation, environmental protection and a host of other protections now provided by our laws. The civil rights and liberties given to us by the constitution are also endangered.

Mike McDonald

Cedar Rapids