Last week, Ithaca residents gathered to voice their concerns about the 2010 Supreme Court case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that legalized unlimited corporate political spending.

The protesters argued that the ability to donate unlimited amounts of money to political organizations grants corporations an unjust amount of influence over political candidates. While corporations should not be considered people, the people who make up corporations should be allowed to use the company’s funds as they see fit. The government should not have the power to regulate the political spending of business owners, but should instead enforce financial transparency that will allow consumers and voters to make informed decisions.

Consumers have the right to invest in corporations that reflect their political ideologies just as they have the right to boycott corporations that don’t. American consumers must be more aware of their investments and mindful of the social and political implications of their purchases.