By Jim Hoover

The five men photo featured here have proved themselves enemies of the people by rejecting the people and embracing plutocrats (the rich).

Over the last three decades, time and time again Democrats have capitulated in approving the appointments of right-wing ideologues to the US Supreme Court.

Now that the ultra-conservatives have a majority in the Supreme Court, the decisions of these radical judges have progressively chipped away at our democracy, by curtailing our freedoms, demeaning equality, and hamstringing opportunity.

The first radical decision set aside the vote of the people of Florida in the 2000 presidential election, to, in effect, appoint George W. Bush to the presidency over Al Gore.

The second, perhaps the final rebuff to democracy, came just over a year ago when the above five justices gave corporations the same rights as an individual.

The Citizens United ruling about a year ago allows American and foreign corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money to attack political candidates whom they dislike, without revealing themselves. With billions of dollars behind each of the largest corporations, this is a virtual death threat to any candidate who sides with the people against corporate interests.

The rogues gallery above is left to right, beginning with the first row: Anthony Kennedy appointed by Reagan; Clarence Thomas, the choice of George H.W. Bush; Samuel Alito, appointed by George W. Bush; Antonin Scalia picked by Reagan and John Roberts chosen by George W. Bush.

Of the five, three are openly involved in right wing causes, unethical by long-held Supreme Court standards. The three include Thomas, Scalia, and Alito. Thomas’ activities are not only unethical but illegal, so much so that he could be impeached if the House were in the hands of a people’s party.

Let me give some examples of the tyranny that corporate money can help wield.

Senators or representatives who favor constraints on the ability of Wall Street brokers to bid up gas prices or sell worthless paper to unsuspecting investors, or engage in insider trading can be demonized through millions of dollars of television ads by political fronts not required to reveal donors.

Any leaders up for election or re-election who dare to challenge an oil company’s right to pollute, its right to “tax credits,” its ability to write off spending to clean up massive oil spills, or who propose excessive profit taxes would be vilified and marked for defeat through ruthless TV campaigns. Only the names of the committee that dispenses the money will be revealed.

Any leader who wants to protect the life or property of individuals against harmful practices by mine owners, power plants, or natural gas exploration like “fracking” could be spent out of office by a margin of 100 to 1.

Any leader who wants to restrict the obscene pay of corporate CEOs could be chased out of office by relentless attacks secretly waged by front organizations paid for by huge corporations like Koch Industries.

The past 2010 election saw the US Chamber of Commerce, Rove’s American Crossroads and other front groups spending 2 times the amount of Democratic groups. It is known that ninety-one percent of Crossroads money came from a few billionaires.

Front groups that pardoned Republican anti-people voting in the House spent around $2 million, while Democratic organizations spent $106,000 to help highlight Republicans who voted for the Ryan budget, a budget that included gutting Medicare and giving more tax cuts to the rich. People in the districts of these Republicans were livid.

Trying to counter the anger of voters, grassroots-sounding or patriotic-sounding groups like Sixty Plus, American Crossroads, Americans for Prosperity (founded by Koch Industries), Freedom Works, Heritage Action for Americans and American Action Network – all known fronts for plutocrats – tried to characterize the Republican vote as a defense of the people.

What is the future scope of spending we will see by corporate interests?

In the 2008 election, for example, Obama and McCain together spent an unprecedented $1 billion in their campaigns.

To get a feel for available corporate funds, executive bonuses in 2009 alone were a combined $82 billion for Goldman-Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Chase, and Citigroup.

If 10% of their bonuses alone were used to smear candidates they didn’t like, including Obama in 2012, they would spend $8.2 billion, 8 times more than both presidential candidates spent in 2008.

The Democratic opposition would spend a pittance compared to this, hoping for hundreds of thousands of individual contributions of $25 apiece from us.

But there is an additional rub.

In effect, foreign entities have ownership or influence over oil refineries, power plants, chemical factories, water treatment facilities and even roads in the United States. A foreign company, British Petroleum (BP) has already done a number on our Gulf Coast.

So did a majority in the Supreme Court sell us out to foreign interests as well?