The United States Supreme Court recently reversed two precedents regarding the First Amendment rights of corporations. A bitterly divided Court held that the government may not ban political spending by corporations in candidate elections.
Follow the directions below to complete this assignment. I am interested in your reaction to this ruling from a legal and personal point of view. A short statement will be sufficient.

Directions:

1. Read the article by Liptak, Adam “Justices, 5-4, Reject Corporate Spending Limit”  N.Y. Times. 22 Jan. 2010. at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/us/politics/22scotus.html

2. Read both the majority decision and the decisions by those Justices who did not agree and dissented from Supreme Court’s ruling and the Dissents from http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/08-205.ZS.html

3. Go to the Discussion Board forum “Corporate Freedom of Speech” and discuss the following issues:

• Do you agree with the Court’s decision that corporations are entitled to the same degree of freedom of speech as individuals? Why or why not.
• What impact do you think this will have on elections, on community issues, or how you receive the news?
• Does the possible unlimited amount of money that corporations might be able to spend in support or opposition to a candidate or cause give you any concern? Why or why not?

4. Reply to at least two of your classmates using the discussion grading criteria