[afarrell]

Literal quid-pro-quo bribery is illegal and people go to jail for it.

I get that you are talking about other corrupt phenomena, but we need a different word than bribery because I've run into way too many people who think our corruption problem comes from bribery.

We also need a better way for elected officials to be able to tap into citizen expertise rather than just the slice of it which is sponsored by a rent-seeking profit motive.

[cmdrfred]

Make no mistake Citizens United legalized bribery you just have to wink a say it's a "campaign contribution". Everyone involved knows what it really is. Unless you actually believe that the fact that politicians pass laws that are extremely favorable to firms while receiving millions from them is unrelated, if you do I have a bridge for sale.

[afarrell]

Citizens United was not about campaign contributions. It was about whether or not a corporation could use its funds to create materials denouncing (or praising) a candidate for office.

Summary: http://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/citizens-united-v...

Full 183 page opinion: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/09pdf/08-205.pdf

[cmdrfred]

My mistake I meant to also include McCutcheon v. FEC in my comment. Citizens United only got that ball rolling.

[afarrell]

TIL, thank you.