--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Citizens United ruling did not invent…" description: "\"The Citizens United ruling did not invent special-interest spending; it enables corporations and unions to advocate directly on behalf of a candidate r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/nina-easton-10426_citizens-united_the-citizens-united-ruling-did-not-inven_2363046.jpg" --- # The Citizens United ruling did not invent special-interest… ![“The Citizens United ruling did not invent special-interest spending; it enables corporations and unions to advocate directly on behalf of a candidate rather than running more subtle 'issue ads.'” quote by Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/nina-easton-10426_citizens-united_the-citizens-united-ruling-did-not-inven_2363046.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/nina-easton-10426_citizens-united_the-citizens-united-ruling-did-not-inven_2363046.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/nina-easton-10426_citizens-united_the-citizens-united-ruling-did-not-inven_2363046.jpg) > “The Citizens United ruling did not invent special-interest spending; it enables corporations and unions to advocate directly on behalf of a candidate rather than running more subtle 'issue ads.'” [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The ruling lets corporations and unions spend directly for candidates, shifting from subtle issue ads to overt advocacy. **In simple terms:** Citizens United enables direct political spending. Key Takeaway Watch for overt political ads. Themes politics campaign finance media democracy Mood critical analytical Type political informative When to use this quote - election cycles - policy lobbying - public awareness campaigns Key Concepts corporate influence grassroots advertising strategy Questions to Reflect On - What are the long‑term effects of direct corporate advocacy? - How can voters discern bias in overt ads? A Different Perspective It may increase political polarization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advocate Directly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advocate-directly-5793095/) [Citizens united](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens-united/) [Corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations/) [Enables Corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enables-corporations-5793096/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Subtle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subtle/) [Unions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unions/) [Unions Advocate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unions-advocate-5793094/) [United Ruling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-ruling-3314261/) ## Related quotes > [The Citizens United ruling opened the door for tax-exempt social welfare organizations to spend substantial portions of their funds on campaign activities, without having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-lujan-grisham/the-citizens-united-ruling-opened-the-door-for-tax-exempt-social/) [Michelle Lujan Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-lujan-grisham/) > [I would want to see the Supreme Court reverse Citizens United and get dark, unaccountable money out of our politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-would-want-to-see-the-supreme-court-reverse-citizens-united-and-get/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [A lot of the Citizens United problem could be solved if we knew where the money came from for all these ads. The companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/a-lot-of-the-citizens-united-problem-could-be-solved-if-we-knew-where/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [With Citizens United, the Supreme Court's declaration that corporations are people, the whims of one can silence the voices of millions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-pelosi/with-citizens-united-the-supreme-court-s-declaration-that/) [Christine Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-pelosi/) > [In order to preserve our democracy we must come together to end the corrupting influence of money in politics - and we cannot do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-phillips/in-order-to-preserve-our-democracy-we-must-come-together-to-end-the/) [Dean Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-phillips/) > [For the first 200 years of our nation's history, corporations were never defined by the courts as persons with free speech rights under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bonifaz/for-the-first-200-years-of-our-nation-s-history-corporations-were/) [John Bonifaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bonifaz/) > [If the need for comprehensive campaign finance reform was not already clear, the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United permitting unlimited corporate and union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-k-simpson/if-the-need-for-comprehensive-campaign-finance-reform-was-not-already/) [Alan K. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-k-simpson/) > [In the last presidential election Obama and Romney raised about $1 billion each. The Koch brothers, the second wealthiest family in America, now say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/in-the-last-presidential-election-obama-and-romney-raised-about-1/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The first case I sat on... was Citizens United. Talk about being thrown in. Needless to say, if I was scared before, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/the-first-case-i-sat-on-was-citizens-united-talk-about-being-thrown/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [As a result of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, American democracy is being undermined by the ability of the Koch brothers and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-a-result-of-the-citizens-united-supreme-court-decision-american/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Hillary Clinton will nominate justices to the Supreme Court who are prepared to overturn Citizens United and end the movement toward oligarchy that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/hillary-clinton-will-nominate-justices-to-the-supreme-court-who-are/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I voted fror Trump because I genuinely thought that Hillary Clinton was a threat to the American experiment. I usually do not talk in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-klavan/i-voted-fror-trump-because-i-genuinely-thought-that-hillary-clinton/) [Andrew Klavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-klavan/) > [We have to end Citizens United, and we have to do it united as a people. If we don't do it, our system is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/we-have-to-end-citizens-united-and-we-have-to-do-it-united-as-a/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [Citizens United is a disgrace of a decision, holding that corporate money is corporate speech and entitled to the same First Amendment protection as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/citizens-united-is-a-disgrace-of-a-decision-holding-that-corporate/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [Citizens United didn't work. Hey, Koch brothers, Karl Rove, Shellgame Adelson: Democracy trumps money sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/citizens-united-didn-t-work-hey-koch-brothers-karl-rove-shellgame/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) ## More by Nina Easton > [In May 2007, congressional Democrats and the Bush administration agreed to a plan to include environmental and international labor standards in upcoming trade agreements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/in-may-2007-congressional-democrats-and-the-bush-administration/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > [The longer people are unemployed, the less employable they become. Skills become rusty; managers look more suspiciously at someone who has been out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/the-longer-people-are-unemployed-the-less-employable-they-become/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > [Every journalist loves a peaceful protest -whether it makes news, shakes up a political season, or holds out the possibility of altering history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/every-journalist-loves-a-peaceful-protest-whether-it-makes-news/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > [Our pride is tied up in being right. We tend to favor data that confirm our beliefs, so we don't see alternatives. Too often,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/our-pride-is-tied-up-in-being-right-we-tend-to-favor-data-that/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > [Great leaders don't rush to blame. They instinctively look for solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/great-leaders-don-t-rush-to-blame-they-instinctively-look-for/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > [A desire to rescue secular America from fallen grace has driven conservative evangelicals at least since the 1970s, when Jerry Falwell formed the Moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/a-desire-to-rescue-secular-america-from-fallen-grace-has-driven/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > [Jobless workers, especially those out of work for months and years, don't have the skills to multitask in a fast-paced economy where medical workers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/jobless-workers-especially-those-out-of-work-for-months-and-years-don/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > [We know this much about how Barack Obama plans to govern: He will deploy the fattest checkbook ever at the disposal of an incoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/we-know-this-much-about-how-barack-obama-plans-to-govern-he-will/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > [Modern Americans - shaped by raucous politics and a rapacious media - like to think of themselves as experts in confronting mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/modern-americans-shaped-by-raucous-politics-and-a-rapacious-media/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > [Globalization is stirring widespread economic anxiety, and middle class incomes have stagnated while a class of super-rich has emerged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/globalization-is-stirring-widespread-economic-anxiety-and-middle/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > ['George' exploits John Kennedy Jr.'s cult of celebrity at a time when Americans are hungry for icons, not heroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/george-exploits-john-kennedy-jr-s-cult-of-celebrity-at-a-time-when/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > [Fame legitimizes. Being conspicuous gets confused with being illustrious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/fame-legitimizes-being-conspicuous-gets-confused-with-being/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > [I've been awed by the incredible opportunities that automatically float to the Harvard undergrads I once taught - from building homes for the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/i-ve-been-awed-by-the-incredible-opportunities-that-automatically/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > [Trying to decipher where President Obama really stands on free trade can be like trying to trace the U.S.-Mexico border with a Google map.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/trying-to-decipher-where-president-obama-really-stands-on-free-trade/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > [A huge segment of the country has always felt overtaxed. In 1938, when taxes were roughly 17% of income, a 'Fortune' survey found that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/a-huge-segment-of-the-country-has-always-felt-overtaxed-in-1938-when/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) [Explore all 65 Nina Easton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) ## More Citizens united quotes > [Citizens United didn't work. Hey, Koch brothers, Karl Rove, Shellgame Adelson: Democracy trumps money sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/citizens-united-didn-t-work-hey-koch-brothers-karl-rove-shellgame/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Citizens United is a disgrace of a decision, holding that corporate money is corporate speech and entitled to the same First Amendment protection as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/citizens-united-is-a-disgrace-of-a-decision-holding-that-corporate/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [We have to end Citizens United, and we have to do it united as a people. If we don't do it, our system is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/we-have-to-end-citizens-united-and-we-have-to-do-it-united-as-a/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [I voted fror Trump because I genuinely thought that Hillary Clinton was a threat to the American experiment. I usually do not talk in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-klavan/i-voted-fror-trump-because-i-genuinely-thought-that-hillary-clinton/) [Andrew Klavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-klavan/) > [Hillary Clinton will nominate justices to the Supreme Court who are prepared to overturn Citizens United and end the movement toward oligarchy that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/hillary-clinton-will-nominate-justices-to-the-supreme-court-who-are/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [As a result of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, American democracy is being undermined by the ability of the Koch brothers and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-a-result-of-the-citizens-united-supreme-court-decision-american/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The first case I sat on... was Citizens United. Talk about being thrown in. Needless to say, if I was scared before, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/the-first-case-i-sat-on-was-citizens-united-talk-about-being-thrown/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [In the last presidential election Obama and Romney raised about $1 billion each. The Koch brothers, the second wealthiest family in America, now say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/in-the-last-presidential-election-obama-and-romney-raised-about-1/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [If the need for comprehensive campaign finance reform was not already clear, the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United permitting unlimited corporate and union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-k-simpson/if-the-need-for-comprehensive-campaign-finance-reform-was-not-already/) [Alan K. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-k-simpson/) > [For the first 200 years of our nation's history, corporations were never defined by the courts as persons with free speech rights under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bonifaz/for-the-first-200-years-of-our-nation-s-history-corporations-were/) [John Bonifaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bonifaz/) > [In order to preserve our democracy we must come together to end the corrupting influence of money in politics - and we cannot do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-phillips/in-order-to-preserve-our-democracy-we-must-come-together-to-end-the/) [Dean Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-phillips/) > [With Citizens United, the Supreme Court's declaration that corporations are people, the whims of one can silence the voices of millions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-pelosi/with-citizens-united-the-supreme-court-s-declaration-that/) [Christine Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-pelosi/) > [A lot of the Citizens United problem could be solved if we knew where the money came from for all these ads. The companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/a-lot-of-the-citizens-united-problem-could-be-solved-if-we-knew-where/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [I would want to see the Supreme Court reverse Citizens United and get dark, unaccountable money out of our politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-would-want-to-see-the-supreme-court-reverse-citizens-united-and-get/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I announced my dissent in the Citizens United orally, and I stumbled in my announcement. I had a little difficulty expressing myself. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/i-announced-my-dissent-in-the-citizens-united-orally-and-i-stumbled/) [John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/) [Browse all 93 Citizens united quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens-united/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Citizens United ruling did not invent special-interest spending; it enables corporations and unions to advocate directly on behalf of a candidate rather than running more subtle 'issue ads.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nina Easton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/the-citizens-united-ruling-did-not-invent-special-interest-spending/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Citizens united" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/the-citizens-united-ruling-did-not-invent-special-interest-spending/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/nina-easton-10426_citizens-united_the-citizens-united-ruling-did-not-inven_2363046.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/nina-easton-10426_citizens-united_the-citizens-united-ruling-did-not-inven_2363046.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9b/nina-easton-10426_citizens-united_the-citizens-united-ruling-did-not-inven_2363046.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Citizens United ruling did not invent special-interest spending; it enables corporations and unions to…” — Nina Easton", "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": "Nina Easton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Citizens United ruling did not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/the-citizens-united-ruling-did-not-invent-special-interest-spending/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/the-citizens-united-ruling-did-not-invent-special-interest-spending/#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 } } ] } ```