As big companies like Walmart and Apple weigh in against religious freedom legislation in Arkansas and Indiana, one voice strangely silent is that of the "Citizens United liberals," by which I mean those on the left, like President Obama and the New York Times editorial page, who after the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision warned that corporate money and involvement in politics would be a terrible evil.
The conclusion I draw is that the objection by the left to corporate involvement in politics has nothing to do with the principle that politics shouldn't be bought or that companies should be neutral. It has to do with the substance. So if it is Koch Industries advocating for lower taxes or less regulation, the left is against it. But if it's Apple and Walmart advocating for gay rights, the left is for it. It's almost enough to make one wonder whether the left's concern about corporate money in politics isn't based on principle at all, but whether it's merely tactical or situational.