Corporate Personhood and Money as Speech

[roundaboutwrongway]

What we are really talking about here is Fascism.

Let's not kid ourselves, when corporations have more power over government than the people then that is what you have.

So is that what we have now? Ask yourself that question.

Don't see things how you want to see them, see them how they really are. Then you can begin to pick up the pieces.

[deepfreezevideo]

Look at it this way: What chance do mortal human beings, made of flesh, blood, muscle and bone have against an army of 500 foot tall "corporate persons" made of glass, steel, concrete, lawyers and unlimited amounts of money, as they stomp around and crush us all in their quest for "their human rights"?

And besides, no human is immortal, but a corporation possesses the potential to be immortal. This very characteristic makes it impossible to recognize a corporation as a "person".

[bergweg]

@deepfreezevideo the thing is that corporations are not made of steel, glass, etc.... they are fictions, they don't exist in the physical reality, they are just ideas.

[bluuterra]

Its not true that corporations were not mentioned in the constitution because the framers didn't intend corporations to have power in our society. The Constitution is a document that sets limits on and defines the boundaries of government. power. All other powers are given to the states or to the individuals. That Corporations were not mentioned in the Constitution means that the framers didn't intend the corporations to be governed by the federal government.

[MarmaladeINFP]

My opinion is that this is a moral issue, but not everyone sees it that way. Ignoring the morality, it really comes down to what kind of world one wants to live in. Corporate personhood simply means that we will live in a country ruled by a plutocracy. I don't want to live in a world where everyone is equal but the rich are more equal, but I understand many rich people would love to live in such a world.

[roundaboutwrongway]

@MarmaladeINFP

Well put, and I agree.

[meadbert]

If Corporations have no civil rights, that means that they have no free speech and no right to their property.

The government maintains absolute power over all corporations. This creates a Fascist State where the Government in conjunction with Corporations is able to control almost everything.

If the government tells corporations that they will fine any corporation that hires someone of the wrong religion/race then in the end you do not have that right after all.

[andresleon72]

Free speech and ownership of property are two very different rights. The issue being debated here is that corporations now can influence government and policy in a legal and legitimate way much more effectively than a single person ever could. That, in my opinion, is one of the major problems with this supreme court decision.

[sklanger]

"corporations now can influence government and policy in a legal and legitimate way much more effectively than a single person ever could."

Well, duh. Why do you think people form groups for a common cause? The NAACP is an association of people in common cause -- precisely because it's more effective to pool resources and wield political influence as a group. That's why we have political parties.

How is this a "major problem" when the freedom to associate has been around since the founding?

[Carbolicsmokeball26]

@sklanger yes, but it's not a democratic collection. One person can own a whole lot of stock. So, several rich people owning 80% of the stock, combined with thousand of people who own the rest, can push an agenda on the political system under the guise that they are a collection of people. Yes, they are a collection, but they are not a DEMOCRATIC collection. Furthermore, a corporation has no conscience, and the current legal framework ENSURES it does not act morally.

[Warmagus]

You guys are holding a hammer and sickle. hahah

[HoGraz]

@Warmagus This is what we call lowest common denominator in political consciousness.

[dullsvillain]

REPEAL CORPORATE PERSONHOOD!!

Reject John Doe Halliburton in 2012!

Visit congressman Grayson's website savedemocracy net

to sign his protest petition!

[Gestamptemuisjes]

Thank God I live in a second string European democracy. Americans have handed their right to participate in democratic processes to the un-elected super rich.

Warmagus, the candle we will hold is the light of democracy in the world, and the human dignity which goes with it.

[Warmagus]

How'd you commies like that Supreme Court decision that now allows people who also happen to run corporations to participate in political speech? HAHAHAH!!!

[Warmagus]

Hahah!!!!! This lady says the founders distrusted corporations! Hahahahahaahah!

They distrusted government sugar lips, not the free market.

[TheAntitrust]

This "our founders" thing has lost its efficacy. I mean, I love mercantile capitalism and class elite representative democracy as much as the next poor still-feudal peasant, but too much already,

Sugar lips? what a waste of breath

The fact of the matter is that the country before revolution was ruled by British corporations chartered by the king of Britain. To say that the founders trusted corporations is to say that the founders wanted to abolished slavery, Not only is it wrong, but it null

[bt1041]

Warmagus, the Boston Tea Party was against Brittain's corporate control over us without our representation... The founding fathers distrusted monarchies... If they distrusted government entirely, why did they create this democracy? We have the power to vote representatives in and out of power, but corporations have deeper pockets to influence their policies. Wake Up Warmagus.

[Warmagus]

The USA is a constitutional republic, democracy is what the second stringers in Europe who can't hold a candle to us have.

[HoGraz]

@Warmagus We have a lot of people here too. We also have an empire. Now remember what Jefferson said "You can either have a Republic or an Empire, not both." Our citizens are not happy either and the founding fathers saw the role of governments were to allow the citizen to be happy. We've been trying to have universal healthcare since Teddy Roosevelt and just now getting around to it.

[silverhawks]

I see a danger here...the structure of American government is a constitutional republic with democratic institutions...NOT a Democracy. There is a VAST difference between the two that people need to be aware of. The reason why the Founders never mentioned "democracy" in any of the founding documents isnt because they didnt love freedom or representation...its because they wanted a government with RIGHTS EQUALLY PROTECTED BY LAW.

[OhHen]

When I bring up the fact of corporations not being people, and thus having no rights such as freedom of speech, some say: but corporations are made up of people and they have freedom of speech. It takes a little to explain it.

But they also point to, say, advocacy groups.

What would you say about advocacy groups vs corporations? If a corporation should not have freedom of speech, then neither should an advocacy group?

Perhaps A.G.s don't have the legal limited liability that shareholders do.

[OhHen]

Republican form of government? Or democracy?

Nope. Not the same. I vote we work towards democracy.

Why don't we just revoke all corporate charters?

It is, and always has been our right as the sovereign people, over our legal creations - corporations.

Well, anyway, the founders despised corporations as much as the king.

Corporations are not people. the end.

[ButterRivaLs]

Thank you for an informative video. 5 stars.

[9valkyrie]

Money as speech, corporations as persons - I did not know that before, I stumbled over this in search where that absurd ideas come from. Very enlightening. Thank you, bussdriver, for uploading.

[CityzenJane]

rent The Corporation if you have a chance!

[chimar0]

Yeah get rid of the Mexicans. They're draining our country... oh sorry, wrong blog. You guys are all educated and well-informed and shit.