What is quite possibly the most important political development in the U.S. over the past 100 years recently took place. I am not talking about the recent election in Massachusetts or the struggle to pass national health care reform legislation. This event didn’t even take place on Capitol Hill. It occurred in the hallowed halls of the Supreme Court. By a vote of 5-to-4, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively removed all restrictions on the ability of corporations to campaign for or against any political candidate or cause.

My last blog described the influence of Bernard Benays, one of the founding fathers of modern propaganda and so-called public relations. If Bernays were alive today he would almost certainly be celebrating the action of the high court in unleashing the full force of major corporations in shaping American government. Bernays considered the general masses incapable of rational decisions advocating that they be “guided” by the rich and powerful. The Supreme Court’s decision seems taken from the playbook of Bernays.

For the past sixty years corporations and unions have been forbidden to run campaigns for or against elected officials. The reason for this is simple, these entities have enormous financial powers that can - and have - corrupted the political process. It is important to acknowledge that corporations are instruments not individuals. A corporation is no more a legitimate citizen than is a bus or a house. The fact that they are owned by shareholders does not make them a person. Corporations have a legitimate economic role, simply stated to make a profit for their shareholders. Modern large corporations are international institutions. Their owners can include stockholders from foreign countries, including those not necessarily friendly to the U.S. Indeed, based on the Supreme Court decision, it would be possible for a wealthy Middle Eastern or Asian country or group to purchase controlling interest in an American based corporation and to use it to funnel unlimited sums of money to influence U.S. elections and policies.

The impact of this development is not limited to national politics. Its ramifications will be felt throughout the U.S. political system down to the level of local councils. Consider, what elected official will dare to propose some restriction on a corporation in the public interest when the affected corporation can focus virtually unlimited funds to remove that representative from office and replace him or her with a more acceptable candidate? This decision essentially opens the door to our country becoming a plutocracy ruled by an ultra wealthy elite. We have all heard the saying, money talks. Now, it will be, money dictates.

It is important to let our elected representatives in Congress know your concern with the recent Supreme Court action. While the Congress cannot overturn a Supreme Court decision it can fashion legislation that replaces at least some of the past controls on political funding.