A Brief Comment on "Citizen's United"

Why is money such a big deal in politics? Particularly SECRET money?

The old-fashioned answer is corruption, corruption of the most venial type.

The office-holder would like some gravy on their meatloaf. :-)

But it's become something MORE than that.

Money buys media. And it takes BIG money to buy media. And media buys elections. And the media need not be anything particularly accurate or truthful to be effective.

So, whereas only the venial politician was tempted by corruption, now the most civic-minded politician in the world is similarly tempted.

Because you can't serve the public if you're not elected and you can't get elected unless you have the media which means money which means kissing the right corporate butts and having the "correct" position on issues.

If there is an answer (beyond transparency) to the issue of money in politics it is an educated, critically-thinking electorate.

In the end, it is voters, not corporations, that cast ballots.

And, as Lincoln said, you can't fool all of the people all of the time.