Wikimedia / Jim Kuhm
In Light of a number of recent rulings by the Supreme Court I felt compelled to reflect upon it in a piece of work. Not merely to focus on the rulings but also the institution itself and how it has seemingly become perhaps an idealogical bully pulpit now more than ever. Decisions, some 5-4 mind you, such as Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission concerning campaign finance and determining that limits on corporate contributions to political campaigns were unconstitutional and AT&T Mobility vs. Concepcion concerning consumers rights to class action lawsuits against corporations show a somewhat scary tendency for the Roberts court to favor the rights of corporations over those of individuals.
"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. . . . corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."
-- U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Nov. 21, 1864
(letter to Col. William F. Elkins)
(letter to Col. William F. Elkins)
Click here for the full quote
Seemingly this situation is not new except now one could say that the Supreme Court is complicit...
The Law of the Land, Steel, bone, 107cm x 55cm x 8cm, 2011
For those that insist on blanketing themselves in the constitution like any good fundamentalist I have this gem from one of the founding fathers himself, the venerable Benjamin Franklin.
"Mr. President: I confess that there are several parts of this constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them; for having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged by better information, or fuller consideration, to change opinions even on important subjects, which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise. It is therefore that the older I grow, the more apt I am to doubt my own judgment, and to pay more respect to the judgment of others..."
"...In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of Government but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered, and believe farther that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in Despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic Government, being incapable of any other...."
Benjamin Franklin, Reflections on the constitution written to the president in 1787. The situation we currently find ourselves in begs for reflection on the situation we currently find ourselves in. The full letter here
"...In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of Government but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered, and believe farther that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in Despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic Government, being incapable of any other...."
Benjamin Franklin, Reflections on the constitution written to the president in 1787. The situation we currently find ourselves in begs for reflection on the situation we currently find ourselves in. The full letter here
A bit of the enlightenment that Lincoln and Franklin brought to their discourse would also help.
