Issue One: Corporate cash in politics
Gasps of disbelief
The latest political ruling by five Supreme Court justices permitting corporations and unions to spend vast amounts of money to influence political campaigns further diminishes my singular little vote ("Court Lets More Corporate Cash in Politics," Jan. 22). These highly politicized men believe this ruling to be nothing more than an extension of free speech as if corporations were people.
Corporations are not people; they are machines, giant robots built by people. They exist to perpetuate themselves. They don't care about the constitutional rights of individual citizens. They exist largely as the machinery of capitalism, and capitalism has no flag.
So, average Joe, take your last remaining breaths of freedom; mine are gasps of disbelief.
GEORGE E. KAMERER
Greensburg
Supremely bad
Regarding "Court Lets More Corporate Cash in Politics" (Jan. 22): Consequences? Even though we have freedom of speech, one cannot holler "fire" in a theater because of the consequences.
It strikes me as bizarre that a corporation has freedom to act with impunity when exercising its First Amendment rights as defined by the recent Supreme Court ruling allowing unlimited campaign spending.
Anyone not anticipating negative consequences to this decision is not looking for consequences, but then it is only the Supreme Court, part of a checks-and-balances system designed to protect us all from political collusion.
HARVEY GOTTSHALL
Connellsville
Corporate rule
Hang on, folks. The Supreme Court -- with its august pronouncement that corporations are, indeed, on the same level as the common Joe -- has decreed that the money may flow. We are now in the era of Amerika of the corporation, by the corporation and for the corporation.
Damn! I love this country.
EDWARD R. GAVALEK
Plum
Money talks
The Supreme Court is packed with just enough rotten "conservatives" that they can legislate from the bench. Meanwhile, the legislative branch cannot even come up with a majority vote when it has one to benefit most citizens because of some arcane procedural rule.
I can see now that one person, one vote means nothing. Money talks. Tell me otherwise with all your cute newsletters, Rep. Murphy.
DONALD STUMP
Upper St. Clair