USW Assistant Legislative Director Roxanne Brown and progressive talk show host Leslie Marshall discussed the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in the McCutcheon v. FEC campaign finance case, including the dire ramifications of more money in politics.
The April 2 McCutcheon ruling removed the cap on how much individuals can contribute in an election cycle. This decision, coupled with Citizens United, opened the floodgates for campaign spending, giving the wealthy outsized influence on the democratic process.
As the richest individuals are able to buy elections, the priorities of the working class, like increasing the minimum wage and extending unemployment insurance, get swept aside.
“I think where we will see it most tangibly and where we are actually seeing it now is with the U.S. Congress,” said Brown. “There’s a battle between politicians who get it and understand the plight and the goal of working Americans, but they’re battling against the others who are working for the interests of major corporations and will now be working for the wealthiest Americans.”
Click the audio to hear the full discussion.
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