Exxon is a person?
It seems to me that one of the defining differences in our political system today, on a personal level, is how we view the role corporations play in a Liberal Democratic Republic. For the sake of conversation, let’s assume I’m speaking about large corporations, particularly the multi-national ones, like the one that the US had a rebellion over (in part.)
I’m not particularly sure where I sit on the political spectrum anymore, but I commonly identify as a liberal. When it comes to my view on corporations, I think that some clever wordsmithing by some corrupt lawyers opened a pandora’s box that pretty much was the death knell for a true republic (I am referring to the landmark ruling of SANTA CLARA COUNTY v. SOUTHERN PAC. R. CO, in which corporations were extended the same rights guaranteed to real people under the 14th amendment.) Flash forward approx 150 years, and you have corporations that, directly, or indirectly, impact every single aspect of our political system, corrupt and obscure the free press, abuse and manipulate the stock market, and generally have more freedom and autonomy than actual people. It is really peculiar that despite Thomas Jefferson’s prophetic statement (“I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations which dare already to challenge our government in a trial of strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.”), that Santa Clara V Southern Pac was ever allowed to happen.
I would prefer to see a return to US roots, where States grant corporate licenses to companies to allow them to achieve a specific objective, on a limited basis. Long standing incorporations should be limited to what should be non-profit organizations (Education, health care), and all businesses should be disallowed from financially participating in politics of any kind (as an aside, I’m a huge fan of the clean election-funding programs that have been popping up all over.) Additionally, Santa Clara V. Southern Pac needs to be overturned, and the advertising and marketing industry need to be hit with the biggest nerf bat ever, crippling, or even outright destroying corporations stranglehold on the media.
Your thoughts?
I’m not particularly sure where I sit on the political spectrum anymore, but I commonly identify as a liberal. When it comes to my view on corporations, I think that some clever wordsmithing by some corrupt lawyers opened a pandora’s box that pretty much was the death knell for a true republic (I am referring to the landmark ruling of SANTA CLARA COUNTY v. SOUTHERN PAC. R. CO, in which corporations were extended the same rights guaranteed to real people under the 14th amendment.) Flash forward approx 150 years, and you have corporations that, directly, or indirectly, impact every single aspect of our political system, corrupt and obscure the free press, abuse and manipulate the stock market, and generally have more freedom and autonomy than actual people. It is really peculiar that despite Thomas Jefferson’s prophetic statement (“I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations which dare already to challenge our government in a trial of strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.”), that Santa Clara V Southern Pac was ever allowed to happen.
I would prefer to see a return to US roots, where States grant corporate licenses to companies to allow them to achieve a specific objective, on a limited basis. Long standing incorporations should be limited to what should be non-profit organizations (Education, health care), and all businesses should be disallowed from financially participating in politics of any kind (as an aside, I’m a huge fan of the clean election-funding programs that have been popping up all over.) Additionally, Santa Clara V. Southern Pac needs to be overturned, and the advertising and marketing industry need to be hit with the biggest nerf bat ever, crippling, or even outright destroying corporations stranglehold on the media.
Your thoughts?