Forgive But Don't Forget

Congressman Steve Israel, in the February 4th edition of the Smithtown News, made an argument linking the recent Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC to “legalized corporate bribery”. I would like to take a moment to reflect upon, and if I may be so brazen, repudiate the opinions offered by the representative of New York’s 2nd congressional district.
The case placed before the Supreme Court, questioned the constitutionality of a section in the 2002 Campaign Reform Act in which it states that federal law prohibits corporations and unions from using their ‘general treasury funds to make independent expenditures’ which advocates any particular candidate for federal office. In other words, the Justices were prompted to decide whether or not the U.S. Constitution grants the federal government the power to suppress political speech based solely on the speaker’s identity or affiliations. Of course their answer was an unequivocal NO.
I can forgive Congressman Israel for being so agitated by the fact that corporations will now have a voice in political dialogue. After all, he and his party are certainly no friends to Long Island business. Advocating tax raising policies like cap & trade and creating an inflationary-ripe deficit through erroneous public programs is certainly not the answer to corporate New York’s prayers. I can even excuse Mr. Israel for his Machiavellian approach to politics and his willingness to forgo the Constitution and its first amendment when it doesn’t suit his party’s needs. After all, these are the same people who, just last month, were pushing for a nationalized, mandatory, single-payer health care system.
But the one thing for which, even I cannot forgive the Congressman, is his apparent belief that we Long Islanders are fools. For wouldn’t we have to be insanely naïve to believe that a Supreme Court decision based on 1st amendment rights was actually a “new weapon” handed over to what he imagines to be these Godfather-like, criminal corporations who’s CEOs will now march into the offices of elected officials and say “We’ve got cash to spend for you or against you. Now how will you vote on this bill?” (The congressman’s words…not mine) Notably, not once in Mr. Israel’s entire dissertation did he mention the constitution and/or the precedents evoked by the Court when making its decision. This type of contempt for the people’s general intellect and ability to decipher fact from fiction seems to be endemic among the Democrats now in power.
True American leaders trust the people to trust themselves. They know that the source of this country’s power is in its citizens and not its government. If corporations want to voice their political concerns ….let them! If unions want to support a candidate they feel will look out for them…so be it! Pro choice, pro life, animal rights, gun rights, CFA, NDA……they all are citizens of this great nation and reserve the right to free speech.
In the end it won’t matter what I said about Congressman Israel’s diatribe in the Smithtown News. What will matter is what he did as representative of New York’s 2nd Congressional district. Neither his rhetorical high jinks nor my intuitive rebuttal will ultimately decide his political fate. His actions on the floor of the House of Representatives and it’s affects on his constituency will be the final arbiter. Nonetheless, it would serve the congressman well to realize that we ordinary citizens are not the pawns of his literary fairytales but the CEOs of his literal office and we don’t take kindly to political sugar coating. Once again, we can forgive the congressman his antipathy towards the Constitution….for it is only indicative of his party as a whole. We can forgive him that. But come this November we cannot forget, and we must vote back into office candidates who will, once again, trust people to trust themselves.