I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strengthen, and bid defiances to the laws of our country.
— Thomas Jefferson (1816)
In 2010, the Roberts Court, with Anthony Kennedy writing the majority opinion, set into law Citizens United vs FEC, the right of corporations, unions, independent groups to practice free speech by donating indirectly (via super PACs) to candidates first with a $5000 limit that was quickly expanded to no limits if not given directly to a candidate (2010 Speechnow.org vs FEC).Specifications were for PAX donors to be identified yet 501(c)non-profits groups are formed not having to identify their donors – foreign or domestic – thus enters dark money.The Roberts Court overturned centuries of US law to create a total upheaval of US elections with a series of cases opening election donations, meddling with democracy. As a result, the amounts of money flowing into elections since 2010 has skyrocketed.Money talks, shouts, drowns out the voice of everyday Americans making small donations ($200 and under), wishing to have confidence in a centuries-old tradition of one person, one vote.
In the Presidential election prior to the Citizens United decision, in 2008, $574 million totaled outside election spending.In the next Presidential election year, 2012, the amount doubled to $1.3 billion, by 2020 outside spending reached $3.3 billion, by 2024 $4.5 billion.The share of contributions by the top 100 donors has sharply increased from 1.5 % percent of election contributions in 2008, to 16% in 2024.In 2010 the top donor gave $7.6 million, in 2024, the top 10 donors gave at least $42.3 million, with Musk yelling at the top at $280 million.
So, in the US now, for elections, all elections, Presidential to Wisconsin Supreme Court Judge, to the coming 2026 midterms, money talks, shouts, yells and drowns out American voters.The share of candidate moneys coming from local fundraising has since 2010 continuously fallen.Large amounts from top donors diminish local donors, out-of-constituency donations trumping in small states. In 2024, for House races, Delaware had 93.9 % out-of-district donors, Vermont 92.1%, and Wyoming 89.3%.Money is the voice literally of campaigns, sponsoring media ads.In the 2024 Presidential election Harris raised $428 million from small donors ($200 and under) 43% of her war chest; Trump raised $109 million from small donors about 29% of his.
There are for us ripe in the news peculiar extremes – in Ohio Peter Thiel gifting J.D.Vance, in 2022, $15 million for an Ohio Senate campaign, in Wisconsin $20 million by Elon Musk to shape a 2025 Supreme Court election.In 2024, Musk donated $290million to Trump’s campaign, in 2026 thus far in the midterm election, he has directed $260 million of his full election contributions of $450 million to the most corrupt candidate nationally – Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate Race.
Elon Musk, immigrant, richest man on earth, moral pauper, is prominent in the tale of elections now being sold at the behest of SCOTUS.Musk who has taken billions in favors: taxes, regulations, contracts forged to reach his place at the top of the world’s richest.Elon Musk who as the chainsaw-wielding DOGE maestro cratered USAID – U.S. Agency for International Development - stopping distribution of foods and medicines all ready for delivery in areas of famine and disease – killing 500,000 children plus hundreds of thousand adults.Musk cratered with young thugs US agencies then claimed billions in savings, thousands of federal professionals out placed - skilled workers were fired with no savings tallied just mayhem.In this upcoming midterm election – Musk has donated half a billion $ to campaigns – Trump isn’t on any ballot.Musk, an immigrant, a moral pauper.
SCOTUS has continued to reverse voting rights and voting restrictions since 2010.They should have heeded then Justice John Paul Stevens at the Citizens United decision:
“the Court’s ruling threatens to undermine the integrity of elected institutions across the Nation…..At bottom, the Court’s opinion is….a rejection of the common sense of the American people, who have recognized a need to prevent corporations from undermining self-government since the founding.”
Corporations and billionaires are in the process of intentionally drowning Americans in shaping elections, in striping Americans of their voices, of wasting billions that could productively be utilized in making life better for Americans without billions or millions or health care.
Kathy Herald-Marlowe lives in Sharon.
