Comments by "Tony Wilson" (@tonywilson4713) on "How the Citizens United Decision Changed U.S. Political Campaigns (full documentary) | FRONTLINE" video.

LET'S NOT FORGET THIS WAS FIRST AIRED IN OCTOBER 2012. That's 10 years ago and look at what has happened in American politics in that time. Thom Hartman was recently pointed out that America's 465 Billionaires spent over $900 million on the 2022 midterm election campaigns that over $800 million of that came from about 25 of them. Notable among big money doners Barre Seid the Chicago billionaire donated a company to the Federalist Society who then sold that company for $1.6 Billion. If Barre Seid had sold the company first he would have had to pay something of the order of $400 million in state taxes. Instead the Federalist Society got all of it.
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LET'S NOT FORGET THIS WAS FIRST AIRED IN OCTOBER 2012. That's 10 years ago and look at what has happened in American politics in that time. Thom Hartman was recently pointed out that America's 465 Billionaires spent over $900 million on the 2022 midterm election campaigns that over $800 million of that came from about 25 of them. Notable among big money doners Barre Seid the Chicago billionaire donated a company to the Federalist Society who then sold that company for $1.6 Billion. If Barre Seid had sold the company first he would have had to pay something of the order of $400 million in state taxes. Instead the Federalist Society got all of it.
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Thom Hartman recently reported that America's 460+ billionaires spent over $900 million on the recent mid-terms. Of that money around 25 of those billionaires spent over $800 million. So its not really a matter of 1% its actually less than 0.000008% are the real power brokers.
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@IamCaleum Yeah I'd never heard of the federalist Society until a couple of years ago. They had done a good job of slipping beneath the public discussion until Trump mouthed off that he was simply going to use their recommendations for judicial appointments. Krystal and Saagar (Breaking Points) interviewed someone who wrote a book about them. Its when they were at the Hill. They pointed out that for many years nobody openly admitted they were members. That's changed and now people put it on their Bio and Resume to get jobs. That judge in Florida who got in the road of the documents scandal, Aileen Cannon is not only a Trump appointment but also an FS member.
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@wolvesetc I'm actually Australian but went to college in America (late 80s). I think the US Constitution and particularly the Bill of Rights is one of the greatest achievements in human history BUT THERE IS A FLAW. The flaw in the US Constitution is the lack of accountability and responsibility. There is no onus on the American people valuing what they have, there is just this "We have this and its awesome!" attitude. There's no "We have this, its valuable and we have to look after it!" There used to be, but it seems to have vanished. FYI - I studied aerospace engineering but a bunch of my friends were pre-law and they liked dragging me into various discussions. Mostly 1st & 4th Amendment hypotheticals. The 2nd wasn't as much of an issue back then. I used to hate it but its kinda useful these days.
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@ZMAN_420 That's what Thom Hartman was alluding to. He talks about this stuff a lot and interviews people who can explain it.
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@KKOPPONG That is actually one of the great questions that needs asking across the ENTIRE World and it addresses the biggest issue in the world right now - accountability. I'm actually Australian but went to college in America. I love America and Americans, except that 1in 5 person who screws up everything and is never held accountable. Its not that they are simply screwing up things in America (which I hate) but its also overspilling into other countries like Australia, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Britain, Europe,............................... I bet if you meet 5 people from any country you could say the same thing. 4 out of 5 are great, friendly and fantastic to hangout with. ITS THAT OTHER 1 in 5 who's the problem. They NEVER accept responsibility for anything they do and never care about it either. They are called narcissistic sociopaths who in the most basic terms are selfish and don't care. That Lawyer in Indiana Jim Bopp is a perfect example of these people. He simply does not care about anything but his ideology or the effects he has on other people's lives. The most amazing thing in this documentary is the guy from Montana Jim Ward (25:38) who as a sitting Republican was viciously attacked by OTHER REPUBLICANS who were not from that district. Where is the accountability for that? Where are the other Republicans standing up and saying "NO, he's one of us!" And so you know we have had the same sort of things happen here in Australia in our right wing parties AND there's been no accountability.
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@Boomslang55 I have absolutely no disagreement on Suckerbergs money in Democrat politics or the disgusting bias of the pro-Democrat media. THEY ARE JUST AS BAD as the oligarchs supporting radical GOP maniacs. I have very much upset a lot of lefties when I tell them they are just as partisan and just as biased as the right wing maniacs they are screaming about. If there is a difference its the amount of money being pumped into the radical far right of American politics. If you actually watch this documentary they weren't attacking Democrats they were attacking Republicans. Starting at 25:45 the guy they are speaking to John Ward is a REPUBLICAN and look at how they attacked him. Your are absolutely right Suckerberg's $400 million is a disgusting amount of influence peddling and CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, NY Times, LA Times, Washington Post,... can all be AT TIMES as garbage as Fox, OAN and Newsmax. If there is a difference its the shear amount of money being pumped by some very nasty people like Charles Koch, Robert Mercer and Barre Seid and how utterly ruthless they are. What the average American conservative in the street needs to realise these people care even less about you than the Left does. To them you are just a lump of talking meat to be pumped. The corporate backers in the Dems aren't much better but the lesser people on the Left want you to have health care and your kids to get a good enough education to get a job.
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@Boomslang55 As I said to your other reply in the other thread I agree Suckerbergs money in Democrat politics and the some of the pro-Democrat media are disgusting. If there is a difference its the amount of money being pumped into the radical far right of American politics and how vicious they are even to other Republicans. Starting at 25:45 the guy they are speaking to John Ward is a REPUBLICAN and look at how they attacked him. What the average American conservative in the street needs to realise these people care even less about you than the Left does. To them you are just a lump of talking meat to be pumped. The corporate backers in the Dems aren't much better but the lesser people on the Left want you to have health care and your kids to get a good enough education to get a job.
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