Is our democracy now in its death throes?
by Thom Hartmann
June 6, 2012
Thanks to the Supreme Court, our democracy is now in deep trouble. Fueled by tens of millions of dollars in out-of-state corporate and billionaire cash - giving him an 8-to-1 spending advantage over his Democratic opponent - Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker prevailed in Tuesday night's recall election. This is the second major election in the post-Citizens United era - and for the second straight time organized money beat organized people - just like what happened in 2010 when Tea Party Republicans swept into Congress with the help of over $300 million in outside corporate cash. In a slight consolation - Democrats may take control of the state Senate - as one Republican state Senator out of four facing a recall appears to be headed for a defeat.
Despite reports of massive voter turnout around the state Tuesday afternoon - the turnout was actually closer to 2010 levels when more than 2 million Wisconsinites voted and Republicans won big - rather than 2008 levels when closer to 3 million Wisconsinites elected President Obama and Democrats.
So what does all this mean? It means that things really are as bad as we think they are - and the Supreme Court really has handed over our democracy to the highest bidders - giant corporations, foreign governments, and the likes of the Koch brothers. Wisconsin gives us a glimpse into the election coming this November - and patriotic Americans have five months to figure out how to overcome these oligarchs - and undo the incredible damage the Roberts Court has done to democracy in the nation of its modern-era birth. Sherrod Brown and Bernie Sanders are fighting against the cancer in our democracy - Citizens United - and you can join their efforts at http://www.sherrodbrown.com and http://www.bernie.org and http://www.movetoamend.org.
****************************************************
OCU
| 
