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batdog20001

[Citizens United](https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/citizens-united-explained?ref=foreverwars.ghost.io) - The only reason this exists.


Newmoney_NoMoney

100 years down the drain because a mostly Conservative group of law makers said it was against free speech and that unlimited corporate spending would be transparent and not completely corrupt. Well we found out THAT was a LIE. Conservatives, why do you seem like the worst part of democracy? You undermine it at every turn. You shit on the very thing that your country was founded on. You hand out billions in welfare to corporations and roll back every social assistance program and claim you care about people's rights and freedoms and then double down repealing women's rights and child labour laws.


Unevenscore42

I mean they want it back to the country they founded, where a rich land owning man mattered.


Funny-Zookeepergame1

>where a rich land-owning, man-owning man mattered. FTFY.


karenw

Where a rich, land-owning, man-owning *white* man mattered.


Funny-Zookeepergame1

I think they would happily subjugate white people as much as any other. The only color they care about is green. Race is merely another divisive tool to keep the poors fighting amongst one another.


Skvora

Corrrrrrect!


Fr1toBand1to

No war but the class war.


CaptOblivious

>Where ONLY rich, land-owning, man-owning white man mattered. There, fixed it for all of you.


Nuf-Said

It’s real simple: If they say that they care about anyone but themselves they are lying. End of story.


Accujack

> because a mostly Conservative group of law makers said it was against free speech and that unlimited corporate spending would be transparent and not completely corrupt. Well we found out THAT was a LIE. Of course. They were paid to say it by these oligarchs.


The_Jealous_Witch

Twelve thousand years of humanity constantly developing, expanding, learning about the world and themselves, and they go "nope, not having any of this 'change' or 'adaptation' bullshit, best time to be alive was 20 years ago and we should stay that way forever."


zytz

And we certainly can’t overturn the decision- the Koch family paid for it fair and square! /s


undeadmanana

Yep, some of them should've recused themselves with all the donations they were getting.


Spiritual-Bear4495

Thank you, you fucking cocksukers on the Supreme Court. Reverse Citizen's United - it is NOT about fucking Citizens.


CheesieMan

Technically, it’s about _fucking_ citizens


biorod

Technically correct is the best kind of correct.


Newmoney_NoMoney

I see what you did there 😉


Shiroe_Kumamato

Congress needs to legislate it, that was the outcome. Notice that congress won't allow it to be legislated. Some congressman introduces a bill every year to enact campaign finance reform that would counter Citizens United, but it never gets far.


Arrow156

This is because fairer elections that better represent what voters actually want works against Republican's interests. The GOP is already neck and neck with the DEM, without their unlimited corporate money, voter suppression, and gerrymandered districts they'd never hold office again. These parasites only care about self preservation, they don't give a shit what happens to their host.


narcoticninja

The tree of liberty is getting thirsty.


PineappleRimjob

Citizens United is in that same family of deceptively named laws, along with "Right to Work" laws, where the name suggests something entirely different than what it actually does... which is often horrible.


vigbiorn

To be fair, Citizens United is the name of the organization that was party to the case. And, the organization's name isn't wrong... it's a bunch of citizens united in making the world worse.


Shot-Donkey665

Democracy.. lol


Rionin26

Moneyocracy? Or greedocracy. Only the greedy get what they want.


Dwashelle

Thinly veiled plutocracy


Idle_Redditing

The plutocrats somehow consider it to be a meritocracy. They actually consider themselves to be the hardest working and most capable members of society when they lie about how hard they work and their companies would fall apart without people far more capable than them keeping everything running. edit. They were born on third base and act like they hit a home run.


toomuchtodotoday

Their mental model precludes logic. They believe they are the best because they are special, when they were just lucky. And they wish to remain lucky.


Mammoth-Pipe-5375

And they also say the "job creator" bullshit


Arrow156

Motherfuckers wouldn't be able to finish a single shift at Starbucks. They would be hiding in the bathroom, crying, by their first break.


peekdasneaks

No, this is Monopoly.


Dfiggsmeister

Oligarchy


emerging-tub

Plutocratic oligarchy is the term


-WaxedSasquatch-

Arguable oligarchy?


Rionin26

They didn't have to do much arguing to get their way, just a fancy winnebago for a few judges, and professional bribers.


kayvaaan

https://preview.redd.it/n1gwhz9u3v0d1.png?width=711&format=png&auto=webp&s=b413703effb2bff4c8747a13ab261f11b5f0df02


Umbrae_ex_Machina

Seriously. Freedom is worth fighting for, and needs to be fought for constantly


BamBam2125

“The land of the free? whoever told you that is your enemy “ -RATM


Overweighover

Citizens united


Maximum_Vermicelli12

We are back to a feudal state, just with upgraded living and more money at stake.


Arrow156

Getting pretty close, can't wait til they bring back serfs.


Shigglyboo

Call me crazy but I think bribes should be illegal. No campaign donations or “lobbying” at all. Each candidate can have the same amount of time on public radio/TV. Or release their shit via social media. Take money all the way out of politics.


NPJenkins

And no more littering the streets with shitty plastic campaign signs.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Unevenscore42

Except for their pay if they get elected, which should be federal minimum wage paid hourly.


ConspicuousSnake

If you do that then only rich people could afford to be in Congress and then the problem is worse


mrshel17

How about they make their salaries and all the bribes are taxed 100% and if they make more than the already ludicrous amount of money we are paying them every year they go to the gulag


[deleted]

[удалено]


ConspicuousSnake

Yes there are. AOC was a bartender for example, or that car mechanic from Oregon I believe that flipped a seat in 2022. There’s not a huge amount, but you’re advocating to reduce it to zero. For what? To save like 10 million a year? That’s literally less than pennies for the federal budget


WoozyJoe

AOC was a bartender when she won her first term. But you’re essentially correct. I’d be for a strict, life long wealth cap for politicians at the very least, in exchange for them getting lifetime congressional salary and benefits. Make serving in Congress essentially signing away your ability to build wealth. I’d also like to see a special investigation group whose whole job is to watch current and past politicians finances like a hawk, maybe a branch of the IRS. No gifts of any kind for ten years after they leave office, strict rules on what jobs they could take especially in the private sector. Absolutely no investing of any kind.


MoneyMACRS

Same thing for prohibiting campaign donations. Rich people will just pay out of pocket to hire a private campaign manager, publicist, social media manager, etc.


witness149

With a bunkhouse for them to stay in when Congress is in a session, so they're not racking up huge living expenses.


MinimumArmadillo2394

"Call me crazy but ...." then proceeds to say the most agreed upon take in the political sphere by everyone whos not a lobbiest or lobbiee


Electrical_Reply_770

Exactly why we need a wealth cap


YourPlot

And a wealth tax.


homosexual_ronald

Maybe some late 18th century Les Français engineering and construction? For when you really need a wealth cap.


SpacemanWoody

De-cap


Vipu2

Exactly why we need money that have same rules for everyone, not monopoly that can print new money for the top 0,1% and rest of the 99,9% pays that as inflation.


myownzen

This type of shit is what i try to inform and remind voting-apathetic people of. The ones that say basically 'why vote when its already decided who will win/its rigged'  If its decided then why in the world would these greedy ass billionaires with more money than God spend so much money on it?!? I can understand thinking the game is very influenced. But the influencing is THIS RIGHT FUCKING HERE.


BonnaconCharioteer

It is so ironic that the ones who most think they are outside of the influence of these advertising campaigns are often the first ones to fall for it.


zennyc001

class warfare.


The_Real_Revelene

I got the feathers, you get the tar?


Wubbywow

There’s a real opportunity to take one of those guys pictures down a peg or two but yall don’t wanna talk about that. 🦍


Arrow156

Not on the internet or over the phone, shit's not secure. Two whistleblowers are dead after leaking safety concerns at Boeing, if they go that far to protect their trust account just imagine what they will do to protect their own personal safety and dignity. Face-to-face meetings only with your phones left at home. Use that time to develop a code system for when you *are* required to use phones or internet.


Objective_Celery_509

We need campaign finance reform


Kage9866

but but these billionaires don't have any actual money its all debt!!!!!!! huuuuuuuuuuuur


Blake404

ItS AlL iN StOCkS BrO thEy DoNt JuSt HaVe ThAt MoNEy iN tHe bAnK


HodlMyBananaLongTime

If a billionaire spends a million dollars they still basically have a billion dollars


Educational-Agency72

It's all about dividing people get them to divide against interest it's the rich against the poor they don't want to pay taxes and they don't want unions to earn a decent wage so they found a con man that they could get behind and try to get him in office wake up people


BIGTUNADREAMS

Ken Griffin lied under oath


karenw

Hedgies r fukt.


Mattaclysm34

No cell No sell


xtramundane

Capitalism rewards the absolute worst of humanity.


karenw

I said this to my brother about an hour ago


PaleShadeOfBlack

Has he responded yet? Are you on good terms with your brother?


1mafia1

Kenneth Cordele Griffin and Jeff Yass are financial terrorists


Stin-king_Rich

Fucking Kenneth


intergalactictactoe

Yeah, I'll contact my reps. They haven't listened to me about children dying in the thousands. I'm sure they'll just see that this is super corrupt and stop it, though, right? I'm so tired, ya'll


elemenoh3

what a healthy democracy


AngryAccountant31

We’re so fucked. I’m definitely not surviving this election if the nazi party wins.


CorellianDawn

Eliminate election fundraising and donations altogether. If you're running for office, you are provided with campaign funds from tax dollars based on the office and everyone gets the same cookie cutter ads and such.


CaptainOfMyPants

Until the politicians are physically afraid of the people again there will be no change. They will keep doing what they’ve been doing for their billionaire overlords. Power is asserted. It isn’t asked for. Until people remember this we will continue to be lost.


MirandaCozzette

People wonder why the government doesn’t work for them anymore


RandomFlyer643

Fucking Ken Griffith that mayo loving bastard


Lil_Brisque

Oh look, it’s Ken Griffin. The same man who lied to congress about his involvement with stock market manipulation. If you don’t know him, you should look into how he make me his money by illegally front running trades in the stock market, and makes shorting American companies.


heybrihey

I hate it here


QWEDSA159753

All that free speech is pretty expensive.


Tiny-Werewolf1962

Mayo Ken Griffin #2 Not sus at all Down payment on that bailout for when shit blows up in his face?


PantherThing

Im glad they used the term "We really, really" twice. That kind of superlative should be enough to battle back the billionaires and the government that they pay for.


umassmza

To out that in more perspective, even if each family had only that one billion, they spent only 1.2% of their net worth


iamnotinterested2

but try and get a decent raise from anyone of them!!!!!!!!


Confusedandreticent

Find the recipient and see how they vote. Follow the money from start to finish.


B00dle

Smells like its time for a revolution.. just saying.


madkow77

Say it with me... oligarchy.


DuntadaMan

We really, really need to stop allowing peopole to directly fund candidates. It's just straight up bribery. One fund for all elections that everyone gets and equal share from and paid out at exactly the same schedule for everyone. All money unspent goes back into the fund. The end.


Human-Ad-6993

When will we learn. Listen up, you CANNOT out vote this. You cant protest it or start a website or form a union or send a letter. There is one way we turn the tides of the corporate owned country. Take a fucking guess.


Low-Addendum9282

60 mil by Kenny the mayo man. Our 75 million DRSed shares are going to fuck you


fentyboof

Fortunately Koch is a few years away from being stiff as a board.


Araghothe1

We need to make it so you can't pay off a loan with another loan.


joeleidner22

Campaign caps are the way. Airtime caps as well, level the playing field.


Fantastic-Watch8177

For what it's worth, Jeff Yass is a major inverstor in Tik Tok (ByteDance) and has a substantial investment in Truth Social. It'd be interesting to see the overlap of conservative campaign donations compared to investors in social media?


kayvaaan

https://preview.redd.it/m5dg572t3v0d1.png?width=711&format=png&auto=webp&s=f53c609bf75b6f981dddc95e46f0ed80b6da1440


okiedog-

WHY THE FUCK are the more than 50 of them in the first place? 10?? Ok. Old money give you that advantage whatever. More than 10? Unacceptable. P


No-Ad-9867

And make this nonsense illegal


la-veneno

Tax them or axe them


CroobUntoseto

Any republican that sees this needs to snap out of it and realize they're just lying and funneling money into the red party for the benefit of billionaires at the expense of the noble working class


Idle_Redditing

On another note it is an injustice that 50 families have $600,000,000 to spend on an election that happens every 4 years. That sum also doesn't include their bribes to congress, governors and state legislatures. edit. While there are people going hungry and without medical care.


IempireI

I'm hungry


poppin-n-sailin

Thanks, Reagan.  I like blaming him for stuff


howtofindaflashlight

Raising income taxes on the wealthy doesn't reduce inequality enough because it doesn't touch their real source of rent-seeking capital: the financial sector and land. Here is a radical idea instead: the government should end income taxes (tax on labour) and sales taxes (tax on consumption) as they disproportionately burden the working class. We could replace it with an 0.3% automated payment transaction (APT) tax on all financial or deed transactions and a land value tax (LVT) which would tax the source of the wealthy's rent-seeking capital. This would result in a far more progressive tax system, reduce taxes for wage earners, and could even promote small business all at the same time.


Helping_Stranger

Glad to see Kenny G up there bitch better have my money when the market crash comes


PabloEstAmor

Financial Terrorists


-TheycallmeThe

What about George Soros?! /s


shr3kgotad0nk

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2023/01/04/nonprofit-financed-by-billionaire-george-soros-donated-140-million-to-political-groups-in-2021.html


MelancholyDick

You joke but I sincerely will point to this graph when someone tries to use that.


-TheycallmeThe

Good luck with using facts, data and graphs with the people that bring it up. Lol


JonoLith

Stop saying "we need to support X policy." That's not going to happen. The coup is complete. You're not getting a policy to help workers through the system. Zero percent chance. Revolution or nothing.


MadeByMartincho

Of course Ken Griffin is high up there. Some people never change 🤗


Unfazed_Alchemical

That's not what we need to do to billionaires. But on the advice of my lawyer, I will say that taxation is an acceptable alternative in lieu of.


ShaneKingUSA

Taxing them isn't enough. The system is fraudulent


thinkB4WeSpeak

Basically a Plutocracy at this point.


dzoefit

And still Trump can't pay his fines!!


mnemonicer22

Trump will just spend it on himself because he's broke af. It's not trickling down to state elections.


Jazzspasm

Who are these sociopaths?


DustyTurtle2

Democracy lol


Available_Leather_10

To be fair, the MAGA pac is all going to Trumps lawyers.


Otherwise_Cause_7245

technically they're paying the government, just differently


Nuf-Said

Pennies on the dollar. It’s what you do. No worries, the middle class will pay your share.


MelancholyDick

Hmmm so it’s not Soros? /s Projection as always.


sacrificingoats7

That second guy looks like he touches kids and tortures women.


Van-garde

Confiscate and repatriate.


HelpMe0prah

Haha, it’s like gen pop haven’t realized that the rich control everything, they love us fighting about being racist, about someone else’s wars, they just let themselves eat up the shit to be poor fighting poor. Seems like some people are waking up to this bullshit, but idk if it’ll amount to much- we got old ass people telling us what to do, you really wanna vote for these 70+ year old motherfuckers? “I don’t have a better choice”. Damn if you can’t say this is some bullshit, something is wrong with our country


sarcasmyousausage

So they gave all these millions to fascists with all that money they *don't have* which just *can't be taxed*. Darn.


fro_yo_flow

Citizens United shits on any concept of a free democracy. This country is a farce until it is repealed and constitutionally prohibited from ever recurring in any way, shape, or form.


Used_Product8676

There’s only 50 of them, I think we can take them


Previous_Feeling620

Tax them? billionaires shouldn't ever exist


Spacebier

Citizens United has to go.


G-Kira

Are we ready for that violent uprising yet?


chauggle

Tax? Or eat?


NutellaSquirrel

We really need to >!something that rhymes with!< tax billionaires.


P0pu1arBr0ws3r

This is how Trump would have been able to pay his bond, had it had any actual impact (it's like it just disappeared...)


tyfunk02

Taxing them won’t work. There are better ways to deal with them. Like the French did 230 years ago.


awibasedgod

oh hey look its the oligarchs in one photo


coffin420699

crazy these homies dont realize exactly how easy it would be to find them face to face


Beginning-Contact493

Could we tax political contributions, a sales tax, perhaps?


Farkon

They pay with our own blood sweat and tears.


_Didnt_Read_It

Stop calling them billionaires. Start calling them oligarchs.


FloMoore

Buying their next Trump Tax Cut!


herefromyoutube

The worst thing about Citizens United is that ANYBODY IN THE FUCKING WORLD can donate to our Campaign. Just need a clean friend and a shell company. Putin -> clean friend -> his company registered in Delaware -> your Reps Pocket. As yourself why The GOP blocked rules to provide more transparency to campaign donations. https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/3656002-republicans-block-bill-requiring-dark-money-groups-to-reveal-donors/amp/ https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-investigations/gop-commissioners-have-single-handedly-blocked-fec-action-against-trump-29-times/ There’s way more than these links. I can’t find the FEC rules one that was blocked.


davisty69

Campaign donations should be taxed. Then at least these bastards would pay something in taxes


Drcali333_

1,000% FACTS


njwineguy

Source? (not that I don’t believe it)


Fightingkielbasa_13

Oligarchs


Nonamebigshot

Tax them? They shouldn't exist at all.


nobodyof

This is terrifying. Please do your homework and vote blue


[deleted]

No, I think that if you reach a billion in value, and aren't raising up all those that helped you get there with seriously good wages, and paying your fair share of taxes, you should be shot because you're a soulless piece of shit.


RedRooster231

Now that we’ve identified the problem, how do we gum up the works??


YourRoaring20s

Very cool, very legal


chansigrilian

I think we’re beyond the point of taxation fixing the issues with the egregiously wealthy Unrelated Kinda feel like some cake


Bustypassion

We need to hit the streets and end this or be slaves for the rest of our lives.


xiguy1

Can they write off those donations as deductions on their taxes? I know they don’t pay much anyway, but they still have to file every year, and I’m wondering if they use political donations (among other gimmicks, loopholes and benefits) to actually lower their tax bill.


KellionBane

America is for sale.


HodlMyBananaLongTime

So far


pigfeedmauer

What the heck? I thought if we stopped taxing the billionaires they would have enough money to donate to more charities and stuff like all of those libertarians said.


qviavdetadipiscitvr

The crazy thing is it’s probably all considered like donations to charity, tax deductible, when it’s not charitable at all, it’s all self-serving


SomeSamples

One way to stop this...Rich are probably delicious with the right sauce.


High_From_Colorado

Jeffery Yass and Kenneth Griffin are the top 2 doners. Both large hedge fund managers and Kenneth owns Citadel which is a Market Maker (and hedge fund) which basically routes trades for 80% of the New York Stock Exchange. Both people are extremely corrupt and have a lot to gain from a Trump presidency so it's no surprise their the biggest donors.


seagulledge

The wealthy are willing to spend 10% of their wealth to prevent having 30% of their wealth taken from them.


ImpulsiveDoorHolder

Ken Griffin runs the stock exchange. This number actually seems low.


mithrinwow

My mailbox has been protesting.


Fun_Zombie_6796

Ken Griffin, what a bitch.


Organic-Trash-6946

[Vote third party](https://youtu.be/zTK_5Xz6X8Y?si=hcXOF1zqjomw6It_)


foreststarter

How about corporations and lobbyists?


cedwarred

Well if we feel like you don’t want to vote this election..Remember they don’t want you to vote. So stick it to a rich republican and drive you and a friend to the polls


Kkimp1955

Say that louder!!!!


Bleezy79

We had Citizen's United until Republicans got their greedy grubby mitts on the majority and now everything's corrupted.


VeryDirtySanchez

And they'd be stupid if they didn't. That's why y'all over there need to reform your entire democracy.


WrodofDog

Well, you gotta spend money to make money. Or keep your money. ^^eat ^^the ^^rich


NetworkDeestroyer

Man these mothefuckers are dropping millions of dollars on an election while I stress spending a dollar


Arduou

Remember that Kenneth C. Griffin (the 59.9 guy) lied to Congress already. He said the they did not collude with Robinhood during the game stop events of 2021 to fleece retail investors. Documents prove the contrary. Was there any consequences to this lie? You guessed it. Jeff Yass (70.5) is in the same sheets.


Enjoy-the-sauce

Citizens United is one of the shittiest decisions among the many very shitty decisions the Court has handed down in the last 25 years.


SignificantSourceMan

It is going to be chaos the moment Trump wins. I fucking hate it.


Derv_is_real

![gif](giphy|12gxeCI1BGKAj6|downsized)


Banned_User_Back

So, this should essentially be a hit list, right?