Supreme Court approves ‘campaign cruelty’

Commentary

January 26, 2010

Anonymous The Hendricks County Flyer Tue Jan 26, 2010, 04:55 PM EST

You’ve probably looked at American politics and thought, “Gee, I wish special interests and fat cats had more influence.”

And you’ve no doubt also thought, “I wish there were more of those slick campaign ads that distort records and paint campaign opponents as evil incarnate.”

Well, you now have your wish, courtesy of the U.S. Supreme Court, which threw out many of the nation’s campaign finance restrictions.

Actually, we are being facetious. We can’t imagine anyone wants more of the idiocy that dominates current political campaigns.

Except, maybe, the people who produce this crap for a living.

The rest of us, unfortunately, will have to live with it. In one of those frequent 5-4 rulings that causes us to question the entire concept of rule of law, the high court held that campaign finance laws (as tepid as they are) violate free speech rights.

It seems that a majority of the justices equates money with speech, and does so in ways that ensure the more cash you have, the louder your voice.

Particularly if you have the means to gather up large quantities of lucre from various sources and control it as you see fit.

This ruling might look like a boon to politicians. And, indeed, special-interest money — which tends to flow toward incumbents — will likely do so more than ever before.

Yet there also could be twists. Because the court declared certain campaign finance restrictions unconstitutional, all manner of independent entities can take shape to support or oppose specific candidates or parties. Candidates may find much of their advertising beyond their ability to control.

There are people who will embrace this ruling, arguing that it strikes a blow for freedom, while it ensures a better-educated populace. As it so happens, we view ourselves as strong free-speech advocates.

But let’s get real. Pouring more money into campaigns won’t provide enlightenment. Instead, it will ensure more propaganda. There will be additional ugliness and negativity dominating our modern, media-driven campaigns.

And the reason is simple: These tactics get results. As much as voters say they are turned off by negative campaign advertising, the record shows they are influenced by it.

It’s a system virtually everyone complains about: The politicians forced into virtual prostitution, the lobbyists who are hit up for cash, the well-heeled interests who shell out donations — often out of self defense rather than any philosophical goal.

And then there’s the electorate that’s increasingly alienated by the political process. The whole thing stinks to high heaven.

Yet the majority on the Supreme Court acts to make matters worse. And rest assured, it will get worse.

— Editorial by The New Castle News in New Castle, Pa., a CNHI sister publication

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