Citizens United v. FEC

Definition

Citizens United v. FEC was a landmark 2010 Supreme Court decision that ruled that the free speech clause of the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent expenditures for political communications by corporations, labor unions, and other associations. This decision had significant implications for the role of money in American politics and the influence of interest groups.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Citizens United decision overturned previous rulings that had allowed the government to restrict corporate and union political spending, arguing that such spending is a form of free speech protected by the First Amendment.
2. The decision opened the floodgates for increased political spending by wealthy individuals, corporations, and interest groups through independent expenditures and the creation of Super PACs.
3. Critics argue that the decision has led to a disproportionate influence of money in the political process, favoring the interests of wealthy donors over the general public.
4. Proponents of the decision argue that it upholds the fundamental right to free speech and allows for more robust political discourse and participation.
5. The decision has had a significant impact on congressional elections, with outside spending by independent groups playing a larger role in campaigns.

Review Questions

• Explain how the Citizens United v. FEC decision relates to the concept of collective action and interest group formation.
  • The Citizens United decision significantly impacted the role of interest groups in the political process by removing restrictions on their ability to spend money on independent political expenditures. This allowed wealthy individuals, corporations, and other organizations to pool their resources and collectively advocate for their interests through advertising, lobbying, and other forms of political participation. The decision effectively strengthened the power of well-funded interest groups to influence elections and the political agenda, potentially at the expense of the interests of the general public.
• Describe how the Citizens United decision has influenced political participation through interest groups.
  • The Citizens United decision has fundamentally changed the landscape of political participation by interest groups. By allowing corporations, unions, and other associations to spend unlimited sums on independent expenditures, the decision has enabled these groups to wield significantly more influence in the political process. Interest groups can now more easily pool their resources to fund advertising, get-out-the-vote efforts, and other activities that can sway the outcome of elections. This has led to concerns that the interests of wealthy donors and well-organized groups may be prioritized over the interests of the general public, potentially undermining the principles of democratic participation.
• Analyze the impact of the Citizens United decision on the dynamics of congressional elections.
  • The Citizens United decision has had a profound impact on the dynamics of congressional elections. By removing restrictions on independent expenditures by interest groups, the decision has allowed these groups to play a larger role in shaping the electoral landscape. Wealthy individuals, corporations, and other organizations can now spend unlimited sums on advertising, get-out-the-vote efforts, and other activities that can influence the outcome of congressional races. This has led to concerns that the interests of these well-funded groups may take precedence over the interests of constituents, potentially skewing the representation and decision-making in Congress. The increased role of money in congressional elections has also raised questions about the fairness and integrity of the democratic process, as some argue that the influence of wealthy donors undermines the principle of one person, one vote.

Related terms

Independent Expenditures: Spending by individuals, groups, or organizations on political advocacy and advertising that is not coordinated with a candidate's campaign.

Political Action Committee (PAC): An organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to political campaigns for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation.

Buckley v. Valeo:

A 1976 Supreme Court decision that upheld the constitutionality of campaign finance laws but struck down limits on independent expenditures, laying the groundwork for the Citizens United ruling.