To the editor:

The recent 5-4 decision by the Supreme Court is another indication of the erosion of the individual’s ability to petition its government.

The ruling, effectively giving corporations the rights of individuals to contribute unlimited amounts of money through issue ads, overturns long-standing judicial precedence. A potential example of such spending was explained on the Jan. 22 broadcast of Democracy Now. Exxon Corp. made a profit of $85 billion in 2008. If they spent 10 percent, $8.5 billion, on an election, it would be three times more than the total spent in 2008 on the presidential and congressional election.

The amount of money driving policy is already obscene with over $3 billion spent lobbying Congress and the White House last year. There are presently 68 lobbyists for each member of Congress and that number can only expect to increase.

The new mantra will be to listen to the voice of the corporation and not the voters, the real breathing lifeblood of our democracy. As much as I hate term limits, preferring the intellect of voters, I may rethink my position in light of this latest court decision.

Ace Hickey,

Lawrence