---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are very frustrated because we have a…"
description: "\"We are very frustrated because we have a Supreme Court that seems determined to say that the wealthier have more right to free speech than the rest of ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/william-j-clinton-302_campaign-finance_we-are-very-frustrated-because-we-have-a_183206.jpg"
---

#  We are very frustrated because we have a Supreme Court…

![“We are very frustrated because we have a Supreme Court that seems determined to say that the wealthier have more right to free speech than the rest of us. For example, they say you couldn't stop me from spending all the money I've saved over the last five years on Hillary's campaign if I wanted…” quote by William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/william-j-clinton-302_campaign-finance_we-are-very-frustrated-because-we-have-a_183206.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/william-j-clinton-302_campaign-finance_we-are-very-frustrated-because-we-have-a_183206.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/william-j-clinton-302_campaign-finance_we-are-very-frustrated-because-we-have-a_183206.jpg)

> “We are very frustrated because we have a Supreme Court that seems determined to say that the wealthier have more right to free speech than the rest of us. For example, they say you couldn't stop me from spending all the money I've saved over the last five years on Hillary's campaign if I wanted to, even though it would clearly violate the spirit of campaign finance reform.”

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The current Supreme Court appears to favor wealthier individuals' speech rights, undermining campaign finance reform goals.

**In simple terms:** Rich people seem to have more free speech power than ordinary citizens.

Key Takeaway

Advocate for fairer political speech regulations.

Themes

justice politics wealth inequality free speech

Mood

concerned critical

Type

political analytical

When to use this quote

- election campaigns
- political lobbying
- public policy debates
- media influence

Key Concepts

democracy campaign finance legal interpretation

Questions to Reflect On

- What reforms could limit monetary influence without restricting speech?
- How can citizens ensure equal political voice?

A Different Perspective

Balancing free speech with democratic equality is complex.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Campaign finance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaign-finance/) [Campaign finance reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaign-finance-reform/) [Campaigns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaigns/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Finance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finance/) [Free speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-speech/) [Frustrated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustrated/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Supreme court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supreme-court/)

## Related quotes

> [I admired the way McCain worked on campaign finance reform. I admired the way Nancy Pelosi stiffened the Democrats' spine during the health care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/i-admired-the-way-mccain-worked-on-campaign-finance-reform-i-admired/)

[Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/)

> [For years, liberals have demonstrated a near religious devotion to the cause of 'cleaning up elections' with campaign finance reform, the wondrous panacea that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-gregory/for-years-liberals-have-demonstrated-a-near-religious-devotion-to-the/)

[Anthony Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-gregory/)

> [The bottom line is that if politicians weren't in the business of granting favors and exacting tribute, every single issue surrounding campaign finance reform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/the-bottom-line-is-that-if-politicians-weren-t-in-the-business-of/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [I find that students are very strong on my issues, stronger than anyone: anti-death penalty, anti-racial profiling, campaign finance reform, questioning the anti-terrorism bill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ-feingold/i-find-that-students-are-very-strong-on-my-issues-stronger-than/)

[Russ Feingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ-feingold/)

> [Maybe when they no longer receive Sierra magazine in their mailboxes, journalists will understand how campaign finance reform abridges free speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-welch/maybe-when-they-no-longer-receive-sierra-magazine-in-their-mailboxes/)

Matt Welch

> [Democrats' desperate attempt to focus on campaign finance reform instead of laws that may have been broken by the Clinton-Gore campaign is like Mike…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/democrats-desperate-attempt-to-focus-on-campaign-finance-reform/)

[Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/)

> [Scaling back the campaign finance reform bill may get more Republicans aboard, but it leaves many of us who have been involved in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-torricelli/scaling-back-the-campaign-finance-reform-bill-may-get-more/)

[Robert Torricelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-torricelli/)

> [Nobody wants campaign finance reform more than me. It would save me a fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-tobias/nobody-wants-campaign-finance-reform-more-than-me-it-would-save-me-a/)

[Andrew Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-tobias/)

> [The leftists are constantly whining and moaning about all the money in politics. They want campaign finance reform, right? They want to get all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-leftists-are-constantly-whining-and-moaning-about-all-the-money/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [It's just a lot safer to be an incumbent. So I think they have used the campaign finance reforms. They have passed laws that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/it-s-just-a-lot-safer-to-be-an-incumbent-so-i-think-they-have-used/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [Actually criminal sanctions that are given could be up to five years for violating the rules and regulations under the campaign finance reform. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/actually-criminal-sanctions-that-are-given-could-be-up-to-five-years/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Well, paycheck protection is an important ingredient for a successful campaign finance reform measure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-card/well-paycheck-protection-is-an-important-ingredient-for-a-successful/)

[Andrew Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-card/)

> [But having said that, what's happening with campaign finance reform and our political culture is devastating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-having-said-that-what-s-happening-with-campaign-finance-reform/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The number one lobby that opposes campaign finance reform in the United States is the National Association of Broadcasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-number-one-lobby-that-opposes-campaign-finance-reform-in-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Legislative action will never bring genuine campaign-finance reform. Consultants will prove endlessly inventive in gaming whatever system the reformers can devise so as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/legislative-action-will-never-bring-genuine-campaign-finance-reform/)

[Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/)

## More by William J. Clinton

> [When personal freedom's being abused, you have to move to limit it. That's what we did in the announcement I made last weekend on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-personal-freedom-s-being-abused-you-have-to-move-to-limit-it/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [Almost makes you want to go to jail out here, doesn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/almost-makes-you-want-to-go-to-jail-out-here-doesn-t-it/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [I take full responsability...for what we did. It was the right thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/i-take-full-responsability-for-what-we-did-it-was-the-right-thing-to/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [Undeniably, character does count for our citizens, out communities, and our Nation, and this week we celebrate the importance of character in our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/undeniably-character-does-count-for-our-citizens-out-communities-and/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [Even as people take pride in their national independence, we know we are becoming more and more interdependent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/even-as-people-take-pride-in-their-national-independence-we-know-we/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [To build a twenty-first-century economy, America must revive a nineteenth-century habit--investing in the common, national economic resources that enable every person and every firm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/to-build-a-twenty-first-century-economy-america-must-revive-a/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [One of the things that I think we have learned is that we should all be very careful about making predictions about the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/one-of-the-things-that-i-think-we-have-learned-is-that-we-should-all/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [Only astrophysicists new about the Internet 20 years ago. Today my cat has a website.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/only-astrophysicists-new-about-the-internet-20-years-ago-today-my-cat/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [Our military superiority is so great - it's far greater than it was in the Gulf War, and the Gulf War was over in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/our-military-superiority-is-so-great-it-s-far-greater-than-it-was-in/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [You know, I've always been really interested in this stuff, and I'm going to read this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/you-know-i-ve-always-been-really-interested-in-this-stuff-and-i-m/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [If you believe in making change from the bottom up, if you believe the measure of change is how many people's lives are better,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/if-you-believe-in-making-change-from-the-bottom-up-if-you-believe-the/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [ We \[Democrats\] have got to be strong. When we look weak in a time where people feel insecure, we lose. when people feel uncertain,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-democrats-have-got-to-be-strong-when-we-look-weak-in-a-time-where/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [It's the economy, stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/it-s-the-economy-stupid/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [The Republicans could mess up a two car parade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-republicans-could-mess-up-a-two-car-parade/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [We're all in this together is a far better philosophy than you're on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-re-all-in-this-together-is-a-far-better-philosophy-than-you-re-on/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

[Explore all 712 William J. Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

## More Campaign finance quotes

> [The reason that minorities and women don't have a better shot at getting elected to the Senate or to statewide office is because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-moseley-braun/the-reason-that-minorities-and-women-don-t-have-a-better-shot-at/)

[Carol Moseley Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-moseley-braun/)

> [I certainly want campaign finance reform. I just wish this would do it in a way that would stand up to a constitutional challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-nelson/i-certainly-want-campaign-finance-reform-i-just-wish-this-would-do-it/)

[Ben Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-nelson/)

> [Climate change joined immigration, job creation, food safety, pilot training, veterans' care, campaign finance, transportation security, labor law, mine safety, wildfire management, and scores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/climate-change-joined-immigration-job-creation-food-safety-pilot/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [Tom DeLay may or may not have broken campaign finance laws, but he did his best to look like he was breaking them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/tom-delay-may-or-may-not-have-broken-campaign-finance-laws-but-he-did/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [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/)

> [The plea agreement negotiated by Janet Reno's Justice Department with Nora, Gene and Trisha Lum is a hoax. It allows two key players in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-klayman/the-plea-agreement-negotiated-by-janet-reno-s-justice-department-with/)

Larry Klayman

> [I admired the way McCain worked on campaign finance reform. I admired the way Nancy Pelosi stiffened the Democrats' spine during the health care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/i-admired-the-way-mccain-worked-on-campaign-finance-reform-i-admired/)

[Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/)

> [Some corporations don't want free markets, and they don't want democracy. They want profits. And they use our campaign finance system to loot our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-kennedy-jr/some-corporations-don-t-want-free-markets-and-they-don-t-want/)

[Robert F. Kennedy, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-f-kennedy-jr/)

> [The number one lobby that opposes campaign finance reform in the United States is the National Association of Broadcasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-number-one-lobby-that-opposes-campaign-finance-reform-in-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Most politicians are corrupt as they do not represent the masses that voted for them, but rather they choose to return numerous favors to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/most-politicians-are-corrupt-as-they-do-not-represent-the-masses-that/)

[Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/)

> [My issue with campaign finance is 100 percent disclosure. Wear a suit with patches from your big contributors. Depending on the size of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/my-issue-with-campaign-finance-is-100-percent-disclosure-wear-a-suit/)

[Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/)

> [Campaign finance and ethics reform only works if it curtails all special interest groups equally and does not carve out any exceptions to benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-kean-jr/campaign-finance-and-ethics-reform-only-works-if-it-curtails-all/)

[Thomas Kean, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-kean-jr/)

> [I guess I was a little idealistic and thought if you are honest and you're well-qualified and capable of waging a good fight, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-long/i-guess-i-was-a-little-idealistic-and-thought-if-you-are-honest-and/)

[Wendy Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-long/)

> [But having said that, what's happening with campaign finance reform and our political culture is devastating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-having-said-that-what-s-happening-with-campaign-finance-reform/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“If we don’t enact sweeping campaign finance reform we will never see progress on the major issues facing our country… as the special interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-potter/if-we-don-t-enact-sweeping-campaign-finance-reform-we-will-never-see/)

[Wendell Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-potter/)

[Browse all 83 Campaign finance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaign-finance/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We are very frustrated because we have a Supreme Court that seems determined to say that the wealthier have more right to free speech than the rest of us. For example, they say you couldn't stop me from spending all the money I've saved over the last five years on Hillary's campaign if I wanted to, even though it would clearly violate the spirit of campaign finance reform.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William J. Clinton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-are-very-frustrated-because-we-have-a-supreme-court-that-seems/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Campaign finance"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-are-very-frustrated-because-we-have-a-supreme-court-that-seems/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/william-j-clinton-302_campaign-finance_we-are-very-frustrated-because-we-have-a_183206.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/william-j-clinton-302_campaign-finance_we-are-very-frustrated-because-we-have-a_183206.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/william-j-clinton-302_campaign-finance_we-are-very-frustrated-because-we-have-a_183206.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We are very frustrated because we have a Supreme Court that seems determined to say that the wealthier have…” — William J. Clinton",
                "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": "William J. Clinton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We are very frustrated because we...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-are-very-frustrated-because-we-have-a-supreme-court-that-seems/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-are-very-frustrated-because-we-have-a-supreme-court-that-seems/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```