Christian Science Monitor: on Corporations

Barack Obama: OpEd: Overturn Court's campaign financing ruling in Congress

Even though Obama had ad-libbed "with all due deference to separation of powers" into his prepared text before unloading on the court, this was big-time head-butting between the Executive and Judicial branches of federal government. Some legal authorities worry about this.

In a way, Obama wasn't speaking directly to the court, but to Congress. The president and boosters of campaign finance law want lawmakers to pass something that can limit campaign contributions by corporations while also passing constitutional muster with the high court.

Samuel Alito: "Simply not true" that companies will bankroll campaigns

Now, normally the justices express no emotion durin the president's speech--no applauding, no sniggering, no eye-rolling. But Obama's mention of the campaign finance decision--Obama said American elections would be "bankrolled by America's most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities"--caused Associate Justice Samuel Alito's expression to go dark as he shook his head and appeared to say "Simply not true."

In the wake of the court's recent decision, Democrats are hustling to craft legislation that would limit corporate political advertising --especially for corporations with foreign connections.

If such legislation is ever signed into law, it'll be fun to watch as it goes to the Supreme Court (which it surely would)--especially to see what Justice Alito would have to say about it.