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Title: Money Talks: Speech, Economic Power, and the Values of Democracy by Martin H. Redish ISBN: 0-8147-7538-1 Publisher: New York University Press Pub. Date: January, 2001 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $45.00

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Average Customer Rating: 3 (1 review)

Rating: 3
Summary: A Very Depressing Book
Comment: I guess I can claim to know Marty Redish. He was one of my law school professors a quarter century ago; I did some clerking for him. Bright, personable and a prolific writer, he has worked his way into a fair amount of fame or notoriety, especially as a First Amendment scholar.

Prof. Redish advances the view that the ability to spend as much as you want in support of a political candidate is your constitutionally protected, First Amendment right. Whether you are a natural person or a corporation, he argues, you should be allowed to contribute as much as you want to any candidate, for any cause, for any reason. And, he reasons, any limits on that ability violate the First Amendment.

Let's pause and note that even the Rehnquist court has not gone this far. And let's reflect on how we acquired out present president - a ton of Republican money and his daddy's name. I first saw this happen in Alaska, where I happen to live, when Mike Gravel defeated Ernest Gruening by the simple expedient of purchasing saturation advertising in the last four weeks of the campaign. Gruening, a true statesman, was defeated by a man whose apparent goal as U.S. Senator was to amass enough wealth to assure himself re-election in the next campaign. I'd argue that the triumph of the Gravels over the Gruenings has bought us the government we have today.

To argue that the process cannot be controlled, it seems to me, is to argue that our government pretty much belongs to the highest bidder. Prof. Redish, without ever squarely addressing it, argues either there is no link between campaign contributions and influence, or that the influence is perfectly acceptable. I don't believe that our Founding Fathers would agree with either alternative.

Prof. Redish makes a forceful argument, and I can only hope he is wrong. This book will have influence - I'm sure it was written for the purpose - with the Rehnquist court and its successors. Which is too bad. Whatever your views, if you care about our government or the future of the country, you should read this book.