I have had the misfortune of listening to ill informed and irrational people that are upset about the Supreme Court of the United States decision in favor of corporations being able to spread messages about candidates near election time. Many such individuals complain that the court has given corporations freedom of speech. I must ask if people who work at corporations are not ‘people’? Are they not included in ‘We the People’? Using logic anyone can see that they should be allowed to voice their opinions in politics. This court decision is one of the few ways the constitution has been upheld.
Corporations are people. They are collections of people. Just as our country is a collection of people. Last time I checked, corporations were not run by animals or furniture. As people they have all the same rights as any of the other citizens in the country. Even the right to assemble together and make a political ad that voices their opinion on any subject.
Such groups are obviously not an individual person, which is where many foolish individuals go awry. Many seem to think that people in corporations don’t have rights. Corporations are groups of people. Simply because there are more individuals does not mean that their rights are then removed. In fact, individuals have the right to assemble. When assembled do these individuals lose their rights? As a group they still have the ability and right to speak freely.
Some people act as if having more messages out there regarding choices in elections is going to force them to vote for someone they don’t want to.
Foreign entities cannot give money to candidates. Many people who misunderstand seem to think that more voicing of opinion equals more corruption and foreign money influencing our country. The Court’s decision did not change laws about foreign money in our elections or candidates and corporations getting together and plotting victories.
Some are concerned that corporations are too powerful and will get away with corrupt behavior when given their freedom. If they do something wrong, find the law they broke, gather evidence and charge them with the crime. If you can’t find anyone in government who will do their only job (enforce laws and protect rights) then you have a bigger problem than just evil corporations. (Which problem, I contend, we do have.)
All anyone ever does is push legislation that they want or like. Again I must question why people think that seeing a commercial put out by a corporation is going to force someone to vote a particular way.