Citizen United on the 2012 Elections Effects Essay

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Citizen United on the 2012 Elections

Effects of Citizen United

Citizens United is an organization in the United States that does not operate on profit and that focuses on conservatism. The scenario that is commonly related to the organization is the particular Supreme Court Case 'Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission," which attempted to ascertain the legality of specific aspects of campaign finance. The ruling that was made in the case influenced numerous practices that can be condoned during the election period. The 2012 elections are similarly projected to be influenced majorly by Citizens United based on the various changes that it has caused in the election system.

Citizen United's mission is described to be dedication to the restoration of the government of the United States to the control of the 'citizens'. In addition, it is committed to asserting American values that are linked to freedom of enterprise, national sovereignty and safety and also limited administration (Wang, 2012). Efforts to ensure this mission is fulfilled include undertaking of a number of educational projects like advertisements in the media, through televisions.

The Supreme Court decision in 2010 made several changes on election legislations. The major change is the permission to corporations to offer unregulated electioneering contributions from their general treasury funds to particular candidates vying for political positions as well as causes that are politically inclined (Toobin, 2012). As a result of this and other key changes, the November 2012 election is projected to be characterized by a completely new wave of exceptional election spending as well as negative campaigning.

Spending by outside groups that aim to influence the outcomes of an election or that support a specific candidate has been increasing since corporations got the freedom to contribute funds in the election campaign process (Wang, 2012). By November 2012 this outside spending is predicted to have reached extraordinary levels.

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The total spending through March 8 in individual cycles of election shows a trend that can be used to predict the amount of outside spending in the 2012 election. Comparing election cycles for several years, outside spending through March 8 in 2012, amounts to slightly less than 90 million U.S. dollars (Millhiser, 2012). This amount is double that spent in the 2008 election in a similar cycle. Another indicator of the possible extreme outside spending, influenced by Citizens United, is the over nine times increase in outside spending between the 2006 congressional election year and the 2010 congressional election year. Also, it is apparent that Citizen United is leading to increased outside spending whereby in 2010 the spending reached approximately 15.9 million dollars, a figure that is considerably high compared to the 1.8 million dollars that was spent in the 2009 midterm cycle (Millhiser, 2012).

Conservative groups are the ones majorly involved in this change in outside spending and these groups alone will most probably spend finances in excess of a billion dollars in their efforts to take down the current President, Barack Obama. Many citizens share the Sentiment that Citizen United has resulted in release of millions of funds from businesses and the multimillionaires that run these businesses and created the potential of American politics being taken over by corporations (Toobin, 2012). Previously, corporations were restricted from contributing to a candidate or party in the election process. Now corporations are free to contribute finances and make a direct case regarding who deserves to be voted for and why and this can be done any time up to the election date.

There is an alternate view that can be used to explain the increase in outside spending in recent years during election periods. The amount of outside money used rose by 164% between 2004 and.....

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