1st Amendment Rights Upheld?

On January 21, 2010, our Supreme Court essentially overturned McCain Feingold's Campaign Finance Reform, and an older ruling that said corporations can be prohibited from using money from their general treasuries to pay for campaign ads.

First things first. The 1st Amendment ...
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

It's pretty clear that we have a guarantee of no laws abridging the freedom of speech. But more importantly, look at the last line .... "and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

It's pretty clear that the courts did the right thing by upholding our constitution.

What's more important is that it now levels the playing field. Newspapers are for profit corporations. They have continuously swayed elections ... including the election of Obama. Unions, also freed by the ruling, had been swaying elections by sending hundreds of millions to PAC's, and by sending throngs of members to support their candidates - and in many cases, inhibit the oppositions support by physical force.

Businesses are affected by legislation and taxes. If anything, it can be said that larger corporations are affected MORE, because a slight tax increase could potentially cost them tens of millions, to an average persons hundreds or thousands.

This ruling allows them to now speak out and voice their opinion on these policies that affect them, giving them an equal voice - and finally, the ability to vocally "petition the government for a redress of grievances."

It reinstalls a series of checks and balances that have been missing in big government for years. Now, when government acts against business owners, they have to do it knowing there are consequences. That the people they are acting against can finally speak up and fight back.

That may scare some government officials. And that's good. Government should always fear the people, the people should not have to fear the government.