What Democracy?

       Here's the question you have to ask yourself; Do you really get to enjoy the free speech guaranteed to you in the Constitution? No, it's not a trick question. Based on the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizen's United case, free speech and money are equal. Therefore very wealthy corporations and individuals can buy all the speech they want, to the point of drowning out yours and my speech.
       Look at it this way,  if you decided to run for office, say county commissioner, and my company didn't like it, and assuming the company had the money, It could spend enough money to flood all the media in your county, radio, TV, newspapers, signs, you name it, to the point that you couldn't be heard. What would your chances of getting elected be?
       Why? Because Corporations are people according to the Supreme Court, and they are allowed to speak with money. All the money they want to spend and it's their free speech. So unless you can match them dollar for dollar you're sunk, unless you get their blessing.
       Now how would you go about getting their blessings? Well, unless you're willing to do their bidding, do as they tell you to do, you're not likely to get their blessings. Ya see, there's only one reason for a big corporation or wealthy individual to spend all that money. And there's the rub. As an elected official, you have a responsibility to the people of your jurisdiction
       So, to whom do you owe your allegiance? The money or the people who pulled the lever? That's the real question. How would you answer that? That'll tell whether we live in a Democracy or plutocracy.