Roy Barnes on ‘Citizens United’ decision: ‘What a crock’
The State Bar held a series of seminars Friday on the implications of the Citizens United on campaign financing – the famous U.S. Supreme Court decision is now just over a year old.
One of the participants was state Rep. Wendell Willard, R-Sandy Springs, who is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
Williard made a bit of news when he said it was likely that a) the Legislature would soon consider a measure to restore the rule-making authority of the body once known as the State Ethics Commission; and b) he favored more reliable financing of the agency.
Former Gov. Roy Barnes at a Thursday news conference, defending Cobb EMC's chief on theft and racketeering charges. Vino Wong, vwong@ajc.com
Stacey Kalberman, executive secretary of the awkwardly renamed Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, was in the audience. And seemed pleased.
Another participant was former Gov. Roy Barnes, who made light of his November defeat – and said he was done with running for office. But for the bar, he penned a lively condemnation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to extend to the right of political speech to corporations.
Read the entire piece here. These are some of the opening lines:
”A Corporation has no soul. It can not repent and be born again even by the most determined Southern Baptist evangelist. It can not marry, even to a corporation of the opposite sex, much less the same sex.
“It can not vote. A corporation can not adopt a child or be compelled to pay child support. A corporation can not think or have an opinion.
“Even the most conservative in our society recognize the difference in corporate and personal existence when they argue a corporation should not pay taxes because it is an artificial creature passing through levied taxes to consumers.
“The examples are endless. Despite these obvious differences and contrary to a over a hundred years of settled Supreme Court precedent, the Court in Citizens United held that corporations have been pining since the beginning of the Republic to voice its long restrained free speech rights and should be set free to do so.
“What a crock.”
The former governor says this about last year’s failed campaign to return to the governor’s mansion:
“During my last run for governor the Republican Governors Association spent between seven and eight million dollars against me in to do one thing—to make me the greater of two evils. From scorched earth scenes reminiscent of the landscape of Mars to every little issue possible I was portrayed as the worst person on earth.
“Now, I am not whining. I have a thick skin, and anyway this is the life I have chosen, to paraphrase Hyman Roth from ‘Godfather II.’ But, with all of the money being spent against me I did not have the resources to combat the negative attacks. Let me give you one example.
“Jobs, of course, were a big issue in the campaign. During the time I was governor, 235,000 were created. I am not saying I was responsible for all of the job creation but my prior record as governor was a much debated subject during the campaign. The RGA began airing television spots saying while I was governor Georgia led the nation in job losses. This was simple not true.
“During my tenure Georgia was the fourth fastest growing state in the nation and the fastest growing state east of the Rocky Mountains, but in the month after the attacks of September 11, and because Hartsfield-Jackson was shut down during that time, Georgia bounced up as losing the most jobs during that short period of time.
“Because the resources of the RGA were so much greater, we could not respond and at the same time adequately promote our message. Thus the louder voice won. There was no discussion of issues like stem cell research which I favored and Governor Deal did not. There was no discussion of shortening the school year because of budget constraints which I said was off limits and Governor Deal said was not.
“Excessive money manipulates the truth and corporations are the greatest bundlers of political money in our system. The fewer restraints in corporate money, the greater chance of manipulation in campaigns.”
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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107 comments Add your comment
Ramguy
January 28th, 2011
10:30 pm
The explanation of “I voted for the lesser of two evils”= I voted for the guy that I would have voted for no matter who else was running because he had a R in front of his name.
eatmotacos
January 28th, 2011
10:31 pm
Sonny actually did slid the Stars and Bars back in. I will give him credit for having enough insight to realize just how little most Georgians know about their own history – as witnessed here.
Seriously?
January 28th, 2011
10:38 pm
Corporations can’t give… but labor unions, can? Pretty sure we all know that it was organized labor that ran all of the Georgia Democratic Party ads. I like Roy, but this is shameless….
pn
January 28th, 2011
10:43 pm
Georgia’s unemployment rate is now 10.2%.
In case you haven’t noticed, multi-national corporations don’t give a damn about whether or not Americans or Georgians have jobs. They will shower money on politicians who deliver what they want–tax breaks and favorable laws (and court decisions) that allow them to ever more efficiently buy and run our government for their own benefit. But any jobs they create aren’t for us, but for workers in other countries who will work for pennies. And the products they are producing with those workers aren’t meant for us either. They are selling to China (like GM), India, Asia, Brazil, Australia, Malaysia, Europe, Russia, etc.
Americans are out of the loop. We are history– unless we re-educate our people to compete with the countries who are forging ahead with transportation alternatives, energy efficiency, medical research, space travel, and many other frontiers of technology, research and development.
Meanwhile we let the multi-national corporations buy up all our media and produce an unending stream of self-serving propaganda. Rupert Murdoch now owns the minds of millions of Americans. He and the other media giants have turned a huge swath of America into a brain dead zombieland. American Idol and Viagra are our value system now. God help us.
eatmotacos
January 28th, 2011
10:51 pm
@pn
Don’t confuse these people with facts. They think they are at a football game, cheering for the team. They don’t have a clue as to what is going on.
mirandalamber2012
January 28th, 2011
11:08 pm
I’m sur eif those corporation just donated a few more $$$$$$ to the DNC good ole Roy Barnes would not have a problem with these corporations.
pete
January 28th, 2011
11:42 pm
Roy Barnes is rt.To all of u that do not believe end the u will see.Folgers makes very good coffee!
WAW
January 29th, 2011
12:15 am
As John Arbuckle would, “You get what you pay for” For those too young for that one, it was a coffee commercial. They do what their owners and handlers tell them.
Roy gave you a choice and ya’ll made one… he’s playing with his grandkids and ya’ll, well are enjoying what you got. Hope your joy continues! I’ll bet it won’t.
Cutty
January 29th, 2011
12:52 am
Fred @ 9:09, its called Freedom of the Press. Wow!
Politico
January 29th, 2011
1:09 am
Cutty, you are right. Of all the ignorance displayed on this board, Fred’s was the most amazing.
wecantaffordit
January 29th, 2011
1:35 am
Whats the difference between political donations from a corporation and those from public sector unions? Roy does not seem to have a problem with unions donating taxpayer money to almost exclusively Democratic( promising ever increasing pension payouts) candidates. What a hypocrite.
chuch allison
January 29th, 2011
4:51 am
I am so thankful that Roy Barnes is not our governor again. He was such and embarassment.
chuch allison
January 29th, 2011
4:54 am
I am thankful King Roy will not be running for public office again. But rest assured that there are more like him and we cannot let our guard down and be deceived by them again. I hope Roy will be remembered 100 years from now as our last Democrat governor.
GB
January 29th, 2011
6:05 am
This is what happened in the Citizens United case. A group of citizens, acting in concert (that is, by forming a corportion) and produced a film, “Hillary: the Movie.” The Federal Elections Commission, acting under the McCain-Feingold Act, prohibited the showing of the movie within 30 days of the Democratic primaries.
The Supreme Court declared that provision of the McCain Feingold Act unconstitutional.
Barnes’s arguments are silly. “A corporation has no soul.” This is relevant how? Citizens’ rights to express themselves were denied by the FEC and the McCain-Feingold Act.
Almost every movie is produced by a corporation. Roy Barnes and Barack Obama think it is okay for the federal government to stop a corporation from showing a movie close to an election. I don’t. And fortunately neither do five Supreme Court justices.
jconservative
January 29th, 2011
6:49 am
The problem with the Citizens United decision is that corporations chartered in the US but owned by foreigners can spent millions to influence US elections.
If you agree that Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, the owner of CITGO, should be able to spend millions to influence US elections, then you agree with the Citizens United decision.
If you believe the French, say through Michelin for one, should be able to spend millions to influence US elections, then you agree with the Citizens United decision.
I trust I do not need to outline the Japanese influence, all should be aware of the Japanese owned corporations in the US.
And, if you are not aware, 33 states have US chartered corporations owned by China. All able to influence US elections by money spent in political campaigns.
The question is, when did the US voters decide to give their country away?
Georgians have long said they do not need “outsiders” coming into Georgia to tell them how to vote. No longer. Now, per the Citizens United decision, it is OK for “foreigners” to come into Georgia to tell Georgians how to vote.
And usually the side with the most money wins. If you do not believe me, ask John McCain.
Ramguy
January 29th, 2011
6:53 am
Fox News….We deceive and you believe
Selah
January 29th, 2011
7:13 am
As usual trial lwyer Roy is lying . The democrats were not at a financial disadvantage in the last election. They just had to spend their money on the races they thognt they could win. Roy’s wasn’t one of them.
Roy now adds whiner to loser and arrogant.
Democrats should run far,far away from Banes brand of failure.
Flash
January 29th, 2011
7:17 am
An awful lot of bitterness here directed at a man that speaks the truth. Not sure what so many of you are afraid of, but if you look around you might find plenty of conservatives who have said the same thing. In fact, I know you will. Let me see any of your LLC’s have a baby. No wonder the state is still considered backwards.
Chuck
January 29th, 2011
7:28 am
The problem with His Former Excellency’s comments is that they are not true. Corporations do not have a soul, that is true – but having a soul is hardly a prerequisite for personhood. (Wasn’t Roy the abortion governor?) Corporations can indeed marry – they can marry to other corporations, by a merger in which the two become one corporation. A corporation can indeed adopt a child; a child corporation, by another form of merger where Corporation A becomes the “parent corporation” of Corporation B. And a Corporation can indeed have an opinion via a resolution of its Board of Directors.
Wallis the Dog
January 29th, 2011
7:35 am
So Roy’s uncomfortable with freedom of speech. The best news here is that he won’t run for public office again.
Cobb GOP
January 29th, 2011
7:41 am
Well, Roy showed his soul here. He is whinning and does not believe in free speech.
Buzz G
January 29th, 2011
7:45 am
Why does the AJC keep quoting Roy Barnes. No one cares what he thinks. Bring us some real news, please.
Last Man Standing
January 29th, 2011
7:55 am
The very people who question the ‘Citizens United’ Supreme Court decision do not mind the money pumped into the democrat party by George Soros. As long as the contributions further their liberal/progressive agenda, all is well.
Last Man Standing
January 29th, 2011
7:57 am
Wallis the Dog:
“The best news here is that he won’t run for public office again.”
So he says . . . now.
DeborahinAthens
January 29th, 2011
8:09 am
@Edsel, you are NOT a corporation, nimrod. The reason, obstensably that you formed an LLC was to remove liability from your personal self in your business dealings. I hope to God you hired an attorney to form your LLC, so you really know what it is and why it works the way it does. Idiot!
John
January 29th, 2011
8:10 am
Roy, please do what Jimmy Carter should have done, just shut-up and go away. You over estimate your importance, you had your chance now go and enjoy the rest of your life and leave your opinion to coffee at the local Hardee’s.
Tim Ryles
January 29th, 2011
8:12 am
As I recall, V.O. Key’s classic work on Southern politics in the 1950s was subtitled, “Rule of the Rustics.” The anti-Roy rantings show that though the names have changed, the rustics are still with us. Key’s characterization remains as true today as when first written.
Keep doing this GOP
January 29th, 2011
8:21 am
Perhaps Ms. Yates will have something to say about Mr.Deal that will finally wake a lot of people up. The man is a crook , a complete and utter crook.
Tell me where else can i buy a mini-Bass Pro Shop for only $10.
las cruces
January 29th, 2011
8:25 am
govt. for the corps, by the corps
JLW
January 29th, 2011
8:33 am
A fool and his money are soon parted. At the ballot boxes, the fools have spoken.
Tom Davis
January 29th, 2011
8:46 am
Couldn’t fight the money? Barnes spent $23 million in 2002 trying to get re-elected while Sonny Perdue stomped him spending just $3.5 million … it ain’t the money, Roy it’s the message.
Pickaside
January 29th, 2011
8:52 am
Centrist,
It’s not the governments job or purpose to create jobs. Government jobs are a burden on the system.
Is is the governments job to create or encourage an environment conducive to corporations and small businesses creating jobs. These jobs add to tax collections whereas government jobs create a net loss in tax collections.
Whine whine whine
January 29th, 2011
9:07 am
Whine….whine….whine. Typical Democrat! I didn’t get to keep the ball so I’m going home to cry to mommie. This fat cat trial lawyer that has made millions suing companies and everyday citizens is crying about all the money spent on the election by his opponents? He had more money to spend on the election than all the other candidates combined. Sheesh Roy, tuck your tail in and go home. America is sick to death of fat cat liberals who whine about everything while they take all the money from the working class to feed the ones not willing to work. Then wonder why it’s not working!
ko
January 29th, 2011
9:07 am
Roy why didnt you say the same thing about unions giving money??
blue dog
January 29th, 2011
9:11 am
Tricia
You are a complete fool……..
You Barnes bashers are simply the product of an ad campaign falsely denigrating him….gee it worked…the campaign mangers know you are clay in their hands and that you are too lazy to check out their lies and will blindly follow their lead…like you do with Limbaugh….how about it Tricia…you are so full of hatred you need to be exorcized.
Timothy Franzen
January 29th, 2011
9:12 am
I’m so weary of trying to debate with Republicans because they can’t see the forest for the trees. We are in serious danger of losing our democracy to corporate interests and I fear my taxes are going up in favor of the millionaires and billionaires receiving tax cuts. This country is now separated by the haves and have nots. I’m unfortunately the latter. Deal is a crook; that a proven fact. Republicans voted him in and now Education as well as Pell grants. It’s going to be a long 4 years.
Timothy Franzen
January 29th, 2011
9:13 am
I mean’t to say that Education and Pell grant funding will suffer.
blue dog
January 29th, 2011
9:23 am
Jconservative
Deborahinathens
Thanks for being an intelligent source of information and opinion…when I read these blogs by these moron I ‘lose it’ …and cannot bring myself to challenge their filmy held stupidity. With hopelessly brainwashed voters like these…this country will be owned and operated by corporate America.
Corey
January 29th, 2011
9:44 am
TDWE, missed your last shrink appointment? Trisha, none of knows what tomorrow will bring including you. Your hate, vile and glaring ignorance and bigotry will trully smother your soul, and you will rot from the inside out.
jconservative
January 29th, 2011
10:37 am
“The very people who question the ‘Citizens United’ Supreme Court decision do not mind the money pumped into the democrat party by George Soros.”
Good point. Soros may be one of the richest men in the world but he is also one of the most “ethically challenged”, as they say. But he is a US citizen, same as me and same as you. And Soros the individual donated the money, not any of the corporations he is a stockholder in.
And yes he did dish out 20 plus million dollars to several hundred anti-Bush organizations. But as we all recall, Bush won reelection.
khc
January 29th, 2011
10:51 am
take it easy on tdwe, she rants against half her football team…..
Getreal
January 29th, 2011
10:54 am
One year prior to the election; before the money showed up and the ads were run; Roy’s own Democratic brothers (and sisters) were saying that no Democratic candidate would win the election for Governor. So there!
Last Man Standing
January 29th, 2011
11:20 am
Getreal:
“One year prior to the election; before the money showed up and the ads were run; Roy’s own Democratic brothers (and sisters) were saying that no Democratic candidate would win the election for Governor.”
That statement forces me to look at Barnes differently. He knew he couldn’t win yet he sacrificed himself for the sake of the democrat party. What a guy! And all this time I thought he was serious!
cs
January 29th, 2011
12:20 pm
Ramguy
January 28th, 2011
10:27 pm
@cs
That flag change still working out for you Roy?
How did Sonny’s promise to let you guys vote the old flag back in work out for you? lmao
Didnt work as planed but have watched the Atlanta and Maryland based Legion of Whiners (and statewide) get all their teeth pulled politically. still roflmao at yall!!!!! Good job on being stupid and I can stand it (complete GOP rule in this state) if yall can!!
Statism is the name of the game!
January 29th, 2011
2:10 pm
Why doesn’t King Roy tell this to Obama. Do you think Goldman Sachs, Pfizer, etc will be pushed away by Obamaco in his re-election campaign? Nah…..they put him in last time and he gave them great results. And he’s going to go back to them ASAP. He has to, they own him.
At least now we’ll KNOW who’s backing people rather than these scumbags working in the shadows.
Georgia should’ve voted Monds. Deal and Roy are grade A awful.
TruthBe
January 29th, 2011
2:48 pm
Roy is as big of a crooked lawyer one can get. There must be a reason so many democrats are lawyers. Thank GOD Roy lose. The ajc is also corrupt.
AU Liberal in ATL
January 29th, 2011
3:41 pm
trisha, please get that “war eagle” off your name. You’re giving those of us with a brain a bad name. Shame on you, you dumb bag. Roy Barnes is absolutely right on this issue. The Supremes make a massive error with this ruling. I’m not surprised, however, they’ve been totally out of the loop since they installed Dubya in the Whitehouse. This whole mess sucks and so do you.
markie mark
January 29th, 2011
3:59 pm
AU liberal….maybe you need to glance at more of the constitution than just the Bill of Rights and you may understand why the Supreme Court awarded the election to GWB. Hard as you liberals are trying to change it, we are still a nation of laws, directed by the tenants of the US Constitution. But you guys have made it clear, the constitution is kinda in your way and you will use legistlative or judicial fiat at every turn to destroy it…..
another subscriber
January 29th, 2011
4:19 pm
Enter your comments here
another subscriber
January 29th, 2011
4:25 pm
Suprising comments about the function of corporations given Mr. Barnes’ decision to defend Dwight Brown and the Cobb EMC defendants. Absolutely amazing. In his defense of Mr. Brown, he seems to be arguing corporations can do no wrong and there are no limits to their discretion but here he seems to be talking about limits on their powers and discrtion.
I know he has a right to ply his trade for whatever defendant can pay him – and that any defendant has a right to competent defense. But I find Mr. Barnes’ defense of Dwight Brown very disappointing. there are many others – who have not made a career of looking out for the public good – that could have defended him. Very disappointing indeed.