Rest easy, folks.
This week's U.S. Supreme Court campaign-finance decision won't see more money spent by corporations and unions to influence federal elections.
The ruling simply removes limits on overt spending by corporations and unions. It eliminates the need to spend covertly through political action committees and other surrogate agencies.
Corporations and unions still can't contribute directly to the election coffers of candidates. But now they can publically urge the electorate to vote for or against candidates.
XYZ Corp. or the plumbers union now will be able to attach their names to print and broadcast campaign materials.
Yeah, sure. Don't expect them to do that because of angry backlash from voters disagreeing with them.
No, it's much better policy to contribute campaign bucks to PACs and sympathetic organizations and hope nobody pays attention to required public documents disclosing the names of contributors.
After all, subterfuge always trumps transparency in politics and other obscene activities. (24 JANUARY 2010)
