Democracy Wire

It’s the old chicken-and-egg problem. Corruption in politics depresses voter turnout, which leads to more corruption in politics. So which came first?

As we mark the fifth anniversary of Citizens United, Stephen Spaulding joined EWTN to discuss the aftermath of the disastrous Supreme Court decision and how it has affected our democracy.

January 21 marks the fifth anniversary of the Supreme Court issuing its opinion in Citizens United.

The Citizens United decision and the massive amount of money it has brought into American politics has led to a government that is no longer of, by or for the people, but instead works for those who can write the biggest campaign checks.

More than 80 percent percent of Americans support regulations that would keep the Internet open to everyone. But net neutrality is hanging by a thread, as telecom industry giants and the anti-net neutrality lobby spent more than $42.8 million on the 2014 elections to elect candidates who would give them free rein to eliminate important consumer protections and establish fast and slow lanes online.

As Americans face $1.2 trillion in student loan debt and 60 percent of Americans support a plan to give students the same interest rates as big banks, Wall Street banks -- many of which profit off student loans -- spent more than $100 million on the 2014 election.