illegal advertising

Citizens United, Appellant v. Federal Election Commission was decided on 21 January 2010. The Republican majority of the U.S. Supreme Court wrote, "If the First Amendment has any force, it prohibits Congress from fining or jailing citizens, or associations of citizens, for simply engaging in political speech." This cancelled part of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act. Former Senator Russ Feingold, and lead man for that act responded, "This decision was a terrible mistake. Presented with a relatively narrow legal issue, the Supreme Court chose to roll back laws that have limited the role of corporate money in federal elections since Teddy Roosevelt was president." In effect, the Republicans now have achieved money as free speech. Those with the most available spending money, therefore, have more speech, and greater say in government.

 C-SPAN

On September 11th (yesterday) the U.S. Senate voted 54 Democrats to 42 Republicans to pass for a vote on a constitutional amendment overturning the Supreme Court decision. Even though, a majority of senators voted 'aye', under Senate rules, that did not make the minimum number to allow a vote.

You may not be able to change the world, but at least you can embarrass the guilty. —Jessica Mitford

On the 9th of September the New York City police ticketed/arrested three people for "illegal advertising" outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which was fêting David Koch. Koch, and his brother Charles are the fourth and fifth richest Americans, and prestigious political donors to the Republican Party and allied interests, often founders thereof, (Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute, FreedomWorks [Tea Party] and Americans For Prosperity). Their brother, William, is the 122nd richest. The eldest brother, Frederick is not active in business and politics.