how to finance campaigns. there aren t a lot of functioning democracies around the world that work this way, where you can basically have millionaires and billionaires bank rolling whoever they want, however they want and in some cases undisclosed. and what it means is ordinary americans are shut out of the process. and democrats aren t entirely innocent of this in the past. and i had to raise a lot of money for my campaign. so i there s nobody who operates in politics that has perfectly clean hands on this issue. but what is also true is that all of us should bind ourselves to some rules that say the people who vote for us should be more important than somebody who is spending a million dollars, $10 million or $100 million to
functioning democracies around the world that work this way. where you can basically have millionaires and billionaires bank rolling whoever they want however they want and in some cases undisclosed, and what it means is ordinary americans are shut out of the process. ordinary americans have been shut out. but today the president went after the political bullies. he went after the secret money. and made it clear he s fighting for our democracy. joining me now, richard wolffe, msnbc.com executive editor and author of the message: the reselling of president obama. and krystal ball, co-host of the cycle. thank you both for being here. thank you very is having us. right after that report revealing a secret scheme. it was really striking for him
opposed. there aren t a lot of functioning democracies around the world that work this way where you can basically have millionaires and billionaires bank rolling whoever they want, however they want. in some cases, undisclosed. and what it means is ordinary americans are shut out of the process. reporter: the limits are supposed to keep corruption or the appearance of it out of politics. in court, justice elaina kagen said somebody who gives lots of money would give somebody a very, very special place at the table. mccutchen says he s not trying to buy politics. it s likely that the members of the court are going to view this as too much an infringement on your rights to participate in the process. reporter: the idea, when it
now the conservative court is gearing up for yet another decision that could change the way we do politics in this country. today the justices heard oral arguments in a case that s being called citizens united on steroids. sean mccutcheon, ceo, is the plaintiff in the case of mccutcheon versus federal exchange committee. now this man claims aggregate contribution limits violate the first amendment by limiting an individual donor s political expression. mccutcheon is now challenging the aggregate limit on donations to federal candidates, political parties and political action committees. president obama weighed in on the case at the press conference this afternoon. the latest case would go even further than citizens united. essentially, it would say anything goes. there are no rules in terms of how to finance campaigns. there aren t a lot of functioning democracies around
citizens united. it would say anything goes. there are no rules in terms of how to finance campaigns. there aren t a lot of functioning democracies around the world that can work this way. where you can have millionaires and willion airs bank rolling who ever they want and however they want in some cases undisclosed. and it means that ordinary americans are shut out of the process. and you know i had to raise a lot of money for my campaign. so, i there is nobody who operates in politics who has perfectly clean hands on this issue. but what is also true is that all of us should bind ourselves to some rules that say the people who vote for us should be more important than somebody who