US Supreme Court Ruling Makes it Easier to Buy Election Outcomes

A recent ruling by the Republican-appointed majority on the US Supreme Court has freed uber-wealthy to flex their financial muscles so that they can buy electoral outcomes. The ruling on the McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission case upholds the $2,600 limit per candidate, however, limitations on the number of candidates that can be given money has been lifted. This means that those with the financial means can now interfere with the democratic process.

Some of America’s wealthiest people want to stymie government oversight from agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Their goal is to create a pro-business environment which is unfettered by regulation. This includes billionaires who want to pollute, extract fossil fuels or decimate forests.

The true beneficiaries of this court ruling is the Republican party which has become the mouthpiece for irresponsible corporate interests.

With an investment of $1,216,800, wealthy donors can help their candidates in both the House and the Senate races in every election across the country.

This is not the first time the conservative controlled Supreme Court has aided and abetted the wealthy in their bid to buy election outcomes. In a 2010 decision, the Citizens United case overturned limits on independent campaign spending by corporations, unions and Super PACs.

These PACs effectively determined the outcomes in a number Republican primaries in 2013. They also succeeded in pushing out moderate candidates.