Supreme Court Favors Political Free Speech

Money in politics is a problem. It always has been. However, freedom and liberty and the First Amendment may not be sacrificed to whatever noble intentions we think we have. Apparently the Supreme Court has made a new ruling against the McCain/Feingold Act. I have despised McCain for his willingness to pitch free speech for his political agenda and have said as much on this Blog. Michelle Malkin reports,

In a stunning reversal of the nation’s federal campaign finance laws, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 Thursday that as an exercise of free speech, corporations, labor unions and other groups can directly spend on political campaigns.

According to Newsmax President Obama is upset over this.

President Barack Obama on Thursday strongly criticized a Supreme Court ruling removing limits on corporate donations for political campaigns, saying it was a major victory for banks and oil and health insurance companies.

"With its ruling today, the Supreme Court has given a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics," Obama said in a statement.

Now I realize that many despise "special interest groups". Here is the problem. The First Amendment to our Constitution states,

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

As much as a person may hate the evil oil companies or the evil health insurance companies, we have no right to take away their Constitutional rights. If Obama and McCain can overthrow the Constitution by taking the right of free political speech against one person or group, then they can take it away from anyone.

Just because a person has more money and is willing to spend it promoting an idea or a political campaign than we might be able does not mean it is inherently unfair. In a free society, we have the freedom to compete and to put forth our ideas in the public square. For Obama and McCain to say otherwise is to favor one group against another by the force of Law, which denies another great American principle...equal access to the rule of law.

In conclusion, I love oil companies. I work for a Natural Gas company. I want them to thrive and have the freedom to go and get as much oil as the market will allow. Competition is a great thing in both politics and business.