I would like to respond to Michael A. Smith’s defense of the recent Supreme Court decision in McCutcheon v. FEC (“Letter to the editor: Editorial’s criticism of election ruling overlooked some points,” April 7).

Mr. Smith first contends that “even the wealthy in this country have the right of free speech.” I’m sure everyone can agree on this, but does the wealthy person deserve more speech than the poor person simply because they have more money?

Thomas Jefferson called for “equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever persuasion, religious, or political.” Alexander Hamilton said, “A fondness for power is implanted in most men, and it is natural to abuse it, when acquired.”

Today, wealth constitutes power, and it goes against everything our Founding Fathers intended if we create laws that allow the rich and powerful to have increased say over our government.

This ruling by the Supreme Court violates the “equal and exact justice to all men” proposition intended by Jefferson and allows the wealthy to abuse their power, as Hamilton warned, because through accumulation of wealth, they now can afford more speech than others. This ruling violates every principle this country was founded on.

Mr. Smith’s only other point was to ask “whether you are proposing an amendment that will roll back the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights.” My simple answer is, no, I have not heard anyone propose this. What prompts him to ask such an absurd question?

Andy Wright

Cumberland Foreside

 


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