SCOTUS WTF

In case you haven't heard, the Supreme Court of the US just passed a ruling that corporations are allowed to spend money directly on political campaigns.  The argument was a highly distorted perversion of the First Amendment, which alludes that corporations are citizens who deserve individual rights.

There has been some buzz lately that this ruling doesn't, in fact, change anything in the way the business as usual takes place between big business and politics.  Whereas before companies could do some legal sidestepping and contribute as much money as they want toward attack/support ads that were funneled through PACs, now they can just put their own name on the commercials.  Not that they would, but who knows.  One day soon seeing anti-conservationist vote-for-this-guy ads paid for by Exxon will seem as normal as celebrities shilling for diet plans.  Big business has just been handed a giant bat with which to beat American politics into submission.

I still say this ruling is dangerous and does indeed threaten our already shaky democracy.  It legitimizes corporate bribery.  Sure, that's the way it's always been in D.C.  But let's remember what happens when things like this are legitimized.  Remember the old lady who sued because her coffee was hot?  Ever since then our legal system has gone batshit crazy with people suing over things that happened because they're too stupid and/or greedy.  This is why the building in which I work has folding signs on the floor 365 days a year warning people that the floors may be wet because of the weather.  It's also why parents are too frightened to let their children go outside and play and anyone with a penis is terrified to speak to, let alone help, a child.  Our world is filled with disclaimers and CYA tactics.  Insurance rates are out of control.  Our legal system has gone so far beyond repair it's actually laughable, all because Grandma Dumbshit spilled some coffee.

So now what do we have?  Already spineless and greedy career politicians afraid to make any waves or cause any real change in government because a large corporate sponsor might pull out funding from their next campaign.  Excuse me, not direct funding, but advertising that accomplishes the exact same thing.  We have the possibility of employees shaken down by their corporate superiors and told to vote a certain way because it could affect their job.

Worst of all, you've got millions of idiot Americans bamboozled by misleading political ads sponsored by giant corporations who have only their bottom line's best interest at heart.

I'm no political wonk, but is it unrealistic to think that there should be lifetime term limits on all government offices?  Can we do away with lobbyists and strike this embarrassment of a ruling from history?