To the editor:

Last Monday, our Board of Island County Commissioners adopted a resolution supporting a Constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United matter. Commissioners Helen Price Johnson and Angie Homola displayed great courage and foresight in their support of the resolution. Our small, local resolution may not count for much In the big scheme of things. Nevertheless, Homola and Price Johnson deserve our thanks for acting decisively to defend the voice of average citizens in our local, state and national elections.

Commissioner Kelly Emerson, in casting her dissenting vote, delivered a fearful rant describing how overturning the Supreme Court’s decision will lead to tyrannical government and ruin. What Emerson fails to understand is that what happened at that meeting was the result of average folks mounting a sober, measured pushback against political extremism. Make no mistake: Whenever the rights of average citizens are threatened — whether by over-powerful government or by over-powerful corporate interests — the people will not stand idly by. Fear, Ms. Emerson? I fear self-righteous, patronizing ideologues much more than I fear the consequences of getting corporate money out of politics. Democracy must never be for sale to the highest bidder.

Paul Thompson

Langley