Are corporations people, too?

Can you imagine a world in which your next congressman is sponsored by Pepsi? Or Walmart? Or any corporation for that matter? Well, it may not be so far-fetched.

Enter the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in January that the prohibition of corporate independent (political) expenditures is an outright ban on free speech. That ruling, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, effectively opened the flood gates to allow, for example, Pepsi or Walmart, or any company to pay for advertising supporting or opposing a political candidate so long as its not done in league with a candidate. Labor unions, just like corporations, are also now free to pay for political advertising.


The first political ad bought and paid for by a corporation has appeared in several small newspapers in east Texas. KDR Development Inc., a real estate company, took out an ad opposing Chuck Hopson, a Republican running for reelection to the Texas legislature. Hobson told CNN, a friend of mine called and said, 'Chuck, theres a corporate ad against you in the paper.' And I said, 'yea, who is it?'

Larry Durrett is the president of KDR. He ran unsuccessfully against Hopson in a previous election. (We called several times asking Durrett for a comment, but he did not return any of our phone calls.) The KDR ad reads, Vote for a Real Republican, and it goes on to criticize Hopson for (supporting) the Democratic platform and agenda.

KDR isnt exactly a Fortune 500 company, but Durrett wonders: What if its a big company that America loves or what if its a company that American hates?

Nonsense, says Bruce Josten of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. No corporation is going to run an ad ... using the magic words, 'vote for', 'vote against', and at the bottom say, 'paid for by CNN.' Im just going to guarantee you thats not going to happen. His reasoning is that entering the political fray so explicitly could alienate some of a companys customers.

David Bossie of Citizen United, which successfully brought the case to the Supreme Court, says the courts ruling means that everybody wins. Whether theyre liberal or conservativeeveryone is able to participate fully and completely in the process. And thats a wonderful thing for democracy. Its a wonderful thing for your average person.

Some in Congress dont think the ruling is all that wonderful.

Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD) wants a constitutional amendment so that we the people can take back our elections and our democracy.

Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen and Republican Rep. Mike Castle want Congress to pass a bill that curbs the impact of the courts ruling. They want to limit political donations of foreign-owned companies, require American companies to inform their shareholders about the political spending and require CEOs to appear in political advertising.

Despite all the hoopla, so far only KDR has chosen to enter the political fray. And their ad didnt work. Chuck Hopson won the Republican primary with 61% of the vote.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Are corporations people
• political advertising
• Goldman Sachs
• AIG
• Federal Reserve
• Tim Geithner
• Ben Bernanke
• Corporate Welfare
• Barack Obama

[daveusaz1218]

Incorporation separates a business from people/ persons in order to protect their personal property from lawsuits against a company. So the fact is, a corporation is not a person, it is the exact opposite. The law makers that created the rules of incorporation should understand this, yet they rule that corporations are people and can give donations to political party funds. Well, lets get your act together congress, because you can't have it both ways and keep your facade of respectability.

[dawnstory69]

A corporation does not equal a citizen, never; it is but another misuse and misappropriation of corporate monies to benefit those at the top!

This Corporatocracy MUST END! The social elite controlling this nation must be cast out of the political system as well as those who accept their bribes and gifts to maintain their positions in the political system!