There is a lot of chatter today around the Supreme Court decision on corporate donations for elections. Most of what I've heard today focused on how the ruling will negatively impact democracy, finding another way for corporations to dig their way into politician's pockets. Searching for the positive light in any of this, it will be interesting to see if the ruling brings about greater transparency in the way corporations influence elections.
There's no question that big business has played a part in determining the outcomes for politicians they back. It's no new saying that "candidate X is in the pockets of big business." Typically, money comes through more covert lines of funding. However, now, their giving will be more in the spotlight.
This might not be such a bad thing, thanks to the growing rise of watchdog advocates on the internet and cable news. news.
Advocacy journalism, either grassroots or on the cable networks, worked to expose the invisible hand of big business at play in American democracy. Let's hope they continue to rise to this challenge, now that the paper trail has been greatly diminished.
