--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Citizens United opened the door to 'super…" description: "\"Citizens United opened the door to 'super PACs,' groups that can accept unlimited donations from individuals or corporations and spend them on behalf o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ba/jamelle-bouie-5467_accept_citizens-united-opened-the-door-to-super_1960844.jpg" --- # Citizens United opened the door to 'super PACs,' groups… ![“Citizens United opened the door to 'super PACs,' groups that can accept unlimited donations from individuals or corporations and spend them on behalf of candidates, provided they don't coordinate with the actual campaigns.” quote by Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ba/jamelle-bouie-5467_accept_citizens-united-opened-the-door-to-super_1960844.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ba/jamelle-bouie-5467_accept_citizens-united-opened-the-door-to-super_1960844.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ba/jamelle-bouie-5467_accept_citizens-united-opened-the-door-to-super_1960844.jpg) > “Citizens United opened the door to 'super PACs,' groups that can accept unlimited donations from individuals or corporations and spend them on behalf of candidates, provided they don't coordinate with the actual campaigns.” [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Super PACs let groups spend unlimited money on elections without coordinating with candidates, amplifying influence of wealthy donors. **In simple terms:** Super PACs increase donor influence in elections. Key Takeaway Recognize the impact of money on politics. Themes politics campaign finance influence Mood concerned critical Type analytical political When to use this quote - voter education - activism - policy reform - media analysis Key Concepts democracy money power regulation Questions to Reflect On - How do super PACs affect electoral fairness? - What reforms could curb their influence? A Different Perspective Legal limits still restrict direct coordination, limiting transparency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Citizens united](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens-united/) [Corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations/) [Donations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/donations/) ## Related quotes > [If Citizens United has been an invaluable tool for the maintenance of entrenched wealth, Shelby County has been similarly vital for those who want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/if-citizens-united-has-been-an-invaluable-tool-for-the-maintenance-of/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [I mean this is a revolution in how campaigns work - more money was spent by super PACs than by either myself or John…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/i-mean-this-is-a-revolution-in-how-campaigns-work-more-money-was/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [Grass-roots politics, linking small-dollar fundraising to massive local volunteer organization, showed that it can rival the power of a right-wing machine comprising super PACs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ossoff/grass-roots-politics-linking-small-dollar-fundraising-to-massive/) [Jon Ossoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ossoff/) > [“Sheldon Adelson, for example, gave more than $53 million to Super PACs, but all eight of the candidates he supported lost.59 Karl Rove, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-h-tribe/sheldon-adelson-for-example-gave-more-than-53-million-to-super-pacs/) Laurence H. Tribe > [Incumbents don't like it, but political competition is a good thing. Incumbents usually outspend challengers by better than 3 to 1. Super PACs, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/incumbents-don-t-like-it-but-political-competition-is-a-good-thing/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [Most super PACs are a money-laundering operation that exists solely to enrich the members or its founders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-cernovich/most-super-pacs-are-a-money-laundering-operation-that-exists-solely/) [Mike Cernovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-cernovich/) > [By law, super PACs are required to disclose their donors. There are groups that have never had to disclose their donors, non-profits such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/by-law-super-pacs-are-required-to-disclose-their-donors-there-are/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [There were 14,000 people at the rally for the president in Ohio. There were another 8,000 people in Virginia. If all 22,000 of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/there-were-14-000-people-at-the-rally-for-the-president-in-ohio-there/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [I'm not backed by the super PACs and the big corporations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/i-m-not-backed-by-the-super-pacs-and-the-big-corporations/) [Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/) > [Few developments in campaigning have been as vilified and misunderstood as independent expenditure PACs, or, as they are colloquially known, super PACs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/few-developments-in-campaigning-have-been-as-vilified-and/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [Super PACs and a corrupt campaign finance system are destroying American democracy. We're proud that we have received four million individual contributions, more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/super-pacs-and-a-corrupt-campaign-finance-system-are-destroying/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [With super PACs, we've seen voter turnout go up; interest in elections rise; and the number of competitive races increase. The campaigns of 2010…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/with-super-pacs-we-ve-seen-voter-turnout-go-up-interest-in-elections/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [To all the worryworts out there who said super PACs were going to lead to a cabal of billionaires secretly buying democracy: wrong! They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/to-all-the-worryworts-out-there-who-said-super-pacs-were-going-to/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Politics has certainly changed a lot in an era of micro-targeting, Super PACs, and Twitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-melber/politics-has-certainly-changed-a-lot-in-an-era-of-micro-targeting/) [Ari Melber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-melber/) > [I would do away with super PACs. I think it's a cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-conrad/i-would-do-away-with-super-pacs-i-think-it-s-a-cancer/) [Kent Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-conrad/) ## More by Jamelle Bouie > [The 2020 presidential election was arguably the most secure - and among the most scrutinized - in American history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/the-2020-presidential-election-was-arguably-the-most-secure-and-among/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Racial hysteria has been a part of many winning campaigns in our country. But it's rarely the only part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/racial-hysteria-has-been-a-part-of-many-winning-campaigns-in-our/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Texas's official hostility toward gender nonconforming children has had the predictable effect of pushing families out of the state in search of less hostile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/texas-s-official-hostility-toward-gender-nonconforming-children-has/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Trump was not helped by either of his impeachments, and there's no reason other than his own mythology to think that a trial and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/trump-was-not-helped-by-either-of-his-impeachments-and-there-s-no/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [If 'The Lord of the Rings' is a cautionary tale about the desire for power and the use of power, then it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/if-the-lord-of-the-rings-is-a-cautionary-tale-about-the-desire-for/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [By no means is Trump the first president or even the first Republican president to abuse the power of the office in an effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/by-no-means-is-trump-the-first-president-or-even-the-first-republican/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [For liberals in particular, the idea that government is only hypocrisy and dysfunction is self-defeating and nihilistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/for-liberals-in-particular-the-idea-that-government-is-only-hypocrisy/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Nineteenth-century American politics were notoriously raucous, with frequent violence in and around elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/nineteenth-century-american-politics-were-notoriously-raucous-with/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Trump did not win the 2016 presidential election solely on the votes of his base; he won it after he consolidated wavering Republicans and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/trump-did-not-win-the-2016-presidential-election-solely-on-the-votes/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Trump's authoritarian instincts - his refusal to accept or even learn the rules of the constitutional system - are a huge part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/trump-s-authoritarian-instincts-his-refusal-to-accept-or-even-learn/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Americans tend to focus on external threats to our democracy: foreign adversaries wielding disinformation and subversion. But the most serious dangers have always come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/americans-tend-to-focus-on-external-threats-to-our-democracy-foreign/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is notorious for his efforts to secure 'election integrity' through voter purges and other efforts to shrink the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/kansas-secretary-of-state-kris-kobach-is-notorious-for-his-efforts-to/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [To vote in the United States, you can't simply go cast a ballot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/to-vote-in-the-united-states-you-can-t-simply-go-cast-a-ballot/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [The ring, in 'The Lord of the Rings,' represents power in all of its terrible glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/the-ring-in-the-lord-of-the-rings-represents-power-in-all-of-its/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [As long as voting is voluntary, young people will likely always vote at lower rates than their older counterparts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/as-long-as-voting-is-voluntary-young-people-will-likely-always-vote/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) [Explore all 100 Jamelle Bouie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) ## More Accept quotes > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [The fans can accept a poor performance, but they won't take it when you choose not to put in the effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/the-fans-can-accept-a-poor-performance-but-they-won-t-take-it-when/) [Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/) > [“See, I know what they think about me. That I’m some project. And, yeah, I’ll accept their help. But I’m gonna pay my way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-eagar/see-i-know-what-they-think-about-me-that-i-m-some-project-and-yeah-i/) [Kirsty Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-eagar/) > [If you're disabled or different from what general society deems normal, it's fine. There will always be people who won't accept you, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/if-you-re-disabled-or-different-from-what-general-society-deems/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [Things don't go on forever, and the quicker you accept that change is inevitable, the happier you're gonna be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-anastasio/things-don-t-go-on-forever-and-the-quicker-you-accept-that-change-is/) [Trey Anastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-anastasio/) > [It's very important to me that people accept me as a transgendered female. But it's ridiculous to a lot of people and I understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-arquette/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-people-accept-me-as-a-transgendered/) [Alexis Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-arquette/) > [I've always taken care of myself, and I'm a non-conformist, so I don't accept the negativity that comes with birthdays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-van-dam/i-ve-always-taken-care-of-myself-and-i-m-a-non-conformist-so-i-don-t/) [Rob Van Dam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-van-dam/) > [Not harder than it should be, no. We're about the business, we're about the work. It's all about the work, always. We have fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/not-harder-than-it-should-be-no-we-re-about-the-business-we-re-about/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [I wish I could just accept that I'm not that good and not be shy about the fact that I'm not that professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-gainsbourg/i-wish-i-could-just-accept-that-i-m-not-that-good-and-not-be-shy/) [Charlotte Gainsbourg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-gainsbourg/) > [I cannot accept being silent in the face of injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-crockett/i-cannot-accept-being-silent-in-the-face-of-injustice/) [Jasmine Crockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-crockett/) > [“I hope there is less stigma and judgment against working moms and childless career women. All should be acceptable positions and society should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chan-heng-chee/i-hope-there-is-less-stigma-and-judgment-against-working-moms-and/) Chan Heng Chee > [“Of course I can accept you for who you are. You are someone I need to change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-glasbergen/of-course-i-can-accept-you-for-who-you-are-you-are-someone-i-need-to/) [Randy Glasbergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-glasbergen/) > [I can't be that kind of person others want me to be.I know I can't please everybody for just being me But I'm glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/i-can-t-be-that-kind-of-person-others-want-me-to-be-i-know-i-can-t/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [I don't care who you are,Where you from,As long as you love me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mks-vibz/i-don-t-care-who-you-are-where-you-from-as-long-as-you-love-me/) [Mks Vibz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mks-vibz/) Browse all 2,963 Accept quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Citizens United opened the door to 'super PACs,' groups that can accept unlimited donations from individuals or corporations and spend them on behalf of candidates, provided they don't coordinate with the actual campaigns.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jamelle Bouie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/citizens-united-opened-the-door-to-super-pacs-groups-that-can-accept/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accept" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/citizens-united-opened-the-door-to-super-pacs-groups-that-can-accept/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ba/jamelle-bouie-5467_accept_citizens-united-opened-the-door-to-super_1960844.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ba/jamelle-bouie-5467_accept_citizens-united-opened-the-door-to-super_1960844.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ba/jamelle-bouie-5467_accept_citizens-united-opened-the-door-to-super_1960844.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Citizens United opened the door to 'super PACs,' groups that can accept unlimited donations from individuals…” — Jamelle Bouie", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jamelle Bouie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Citizens United opened the door to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/citizens-united-opened-the-door-to-super-pacs-groups-that-can-accept/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/citizens-united-opened-the-door-to-super-pacs-groups-that-can-accept/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```