KENNEDY ON THE SPOT:

U.S. Supreme Court to hear arguments Tuesday on campaign finance (Christopher Graff, February 25, 2006, Associated Press)

A typically blunt statement by Howard Dean nine years ago about campaign contributions -- "money does buy access and we're kidding ourselves and Vermonters if we deny it" -- is at the heart of a case that comes before the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Advocates of campaign spending limits say this case is their best hope in 30 years; opponents believe the justices will use the opportunity to firmly close the door once and for all on any such limits. All agree that the case provides the Roberts Court with a chance to put its imprint on how elections are financed and regulated around the country.

"Justice O'Connor, the swing voter in the recent campaign finance cases, has left the court," said Richard Hasen of Loyola Law School. "The Vermont case could present the new Roberts Court with an opportunity to begin imposing significant restrictions on the ability of the government to limit the role of money in politics."

With the exception of the imagined right of privacy, the fact that the Court pretty much only allows restrictions on speech when it is political -- which is the only type of speech the Constitution protects -- is where it's gone most seriously off track.

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 27, 2006 8:12 PM