Political Quotes

On the recordJuly 27, 2010
Mr. President, my friend the Republican leader talked about a number of things in his presentation, all the time making remarks such as ``reading the bill caused unrestrained laughter.'' Well, 85 percent of the American people support this legislation. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis offered disclosure and transparency as the antidote to swollen corporate influence. Sunlight, he said, is ``the best of disinfectants.'' The man who would replace him on the Supreme Court shed light on the importance of the individual's vote, the voice that anchors our democracy. William O. Douglas, who served on the bench longer than any other Justice, said that the right to vote means more than simply the right to pull a lever on election day. He said it also means ``the right to have the vote counted at full value, without dilution or discount.'' Both Brandeis and Douglas were right. These two Justices' observations should guide us as we correct an error made by today's Supreme Court--the Roberts Court--when it wrongly ruled in January that corporations, special interests, and foreign governments can flood America's political system with contributions in unlimited amounts and in secrecy. That decision was wrong.
Said by
Harry Reid
Democratic · Nevada
Source
govinfo.gov
Jul 27, 2010

Editor's note · Context

Senator Reid addresses the impact of the Supreme Court's ruling on campaign finance and the importance of voting rights.

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