The Supreme Court's decision to lift a ban on direct corporate campaign spending will be a bonanza for the Republicans and another blow to the Democrats ahead of this year's elections, analysts say. Business lobbies that had been persuaded to back President Obama's initiatives are now taking stock of the situation and rethinking their positions, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Republicans—who benefit from the bulk of corporate spending—say the decision will merely shift corporate spending from political action committees to direct contributions, but Democrats strongly disagree. The decision "has given a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics," President Obama said yesterday, vowing to work with Congress "to develop a forceful response." (More Supreme Court campaign finance stories.)