Justice Stevens Not Living In Reality

Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens is wrong to say that the Supreme Court is damaged because of its ruling in Citizens United v. FEC. Stevens alleges that the majority opinion in Citizens United will “undermine the integrity of elected institutions across the Nation.” I find it hard to believe that the Supreme Court’s defense of the First Amendment will somehow undermine electoral democracy.

One premise of Justice Stevens’ argument is that as a result of Citizens United one side may have greater “resources than the other.” Implied in this statement is that corporate and conservative interests will dominate the airwaves and have an unfair advantage. Stevens fundamentally misunderstands the First Amendment if he believes that it exists to balance the resources of speakers.

In addition to being based on a false premise, Stevens’ statement is fundamentally untrue. On…