Individualism is the defining characteristic of a Western culture. This individualism is forever intertwined with a fair capitalist society. Thusly, money is extraordinarily important to freedom and a fair market can be a wondrous measurement of the needs of the people.
However, when money becomes equal to speech, the freedom of a society is corrupted. No longer are all people granted "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," because all are no longer equal. Those with the greatest funds now have the greatest ability to speak. This is the true abridgement of the rights given to all citizens in the First Amendment.
We the people of the United States will never be truly free and equal until we no longer consider money to be speech.