U. S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says that Citizens United was the worst decision made by the current court and would be the one she would overturn if she had a magic wand.
No disagreement with her about that. But RBG (as her unlikely but definite rock-start status entitles her to be called) expanded more on that sound bite. Thanks to Ashley Altman of HP for the story.
Saying that our campaign system is now "being polluted by money," she added that it is even affecting the judiciary system. Some judges in over half of the states have to face elections -- and elections require money for campaigns.
"It costs millions of dollars to fund a campaign for a state supreme
court," Ginsburg said. "Something is terribly wrong. I think we are
reaching the saturation point."
A shameful byproduct of Citizens United, Ginsburg added, is the low voter participation in this country. With so much money flooding the system, many people feel that election outcomes are already determined, so why bother if their vote won't count?
In an interview with The New Republic last September, Ginsburg said that the Supreme Court should have left it to the legislative system to enact campaign finance laws, because legislators have a better sense [than judges] of how money and politics connect.
Nevertheless, Ginsburg is not totally pessimistic. She quoted her late husband, himself a respected legal mind, with saying that the true symbol of the United States is the pendulum. When things swing too far one way, they eventually have to swing back the other way.
"There is important work to be done. . . . I can't say when, but
one day sensible restrictions on campaign financing will be the law of
this land. Yes, it will happen," she said.
Ah, RBG. May you live and grace SCOTUS with your presence forever.
Ralph
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