Are Corporations People?

Are Corporations People?

Ashley Sanders: Movement to Amend  (Watch on Youtube)

Organizing to End Corporate Rule and to Get Money Out of Politics

            The main topic of this presentation was the question “Are corporations human beings?” Power is not inevitable. It’s constructed with very deliberate strategies. There are many free market success stories. Oppression is political and economic. People in power oppress those who are not. What happens is the oppressed resist. Debtors, orphans, indentured servants became the first slaves. Corporations had to be made more accountable. These are some of the views of the movement. Corporations have created more dissention, racism and a class base society. The history of this country is a history of power and control.

            The movement to amend project is a national grass roots organization with approximately 300,000 members. This group is trying to amend the constitution and remove or amend the amendment to state that corporations are not human beings and money is not free speech. They want to build a democracy for the American public. Ashley Sanders began the presentation by asking what color the sky over Sault Lake City was in the winter time. Someone answered brown. She said that was right. Sault Lake City is the location of the largest open pit copper mine. This city has the most air pollution in the world. A company with a headquarters in London makes over $14 Billion and at the same time cause many people to develop asthma and other health problems. Are corporations more important than people?

            Explorations during the 1500s led to the development of the first corporations through the vehicle of massive colonization. Exploitation, conquest and slavery was the end result of this exploration period. A question was sought to be answered “How can we make as much money as possible and minimize risk?” Some time ago colonies became the first corporate charters with limited liability. Corporations were given the protection concerning there are no risks beyond what was originally invested. The Governors who served under King George III were the first CEOs. British East Indian Company was the first corporation. The colonies were used by Britain to provide England with a profit and much of their resources were extracted to do so. This led to the American Revolution.

            There is a democracy movement and one of the first order of business they addressed was taxation without representation. The movement cuts across many issues. During the first Constitutional meeting with the elites were working together to get rid of the green eyed monster named democracy. There was upraising of the common people. “We the People” from the Constitution did not represent the entire population, but only about 5 to 10%. It did not represent the indigenous, women, African Americans, other people considered below the white elites. The Constitution was written and the Bill of Rights had to be added as a demand by the common people. Stipulations were added such as: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, and basic political and economic sovereignty. When taxes were placed on tea and the tea party, they threw tea in the harbor.

            In the past it was a felony to donate money to politicians. Corporations went to the Supreme Court and presented an argument that they are people. Nine elected judges heard their case. The 14^th Amendment was used to protect African Americans and was also used to protect corporations against discrimination. The 4^th Amendment that was used to protect people from search and seizure was used to protect corporations. In 1976, the 5^th Amendment was used to legally give corporations the right to provide campaign contributions to political candidates.

            Corporations are in place to make money. They are legally required to maximize profits for its shareholders even if the actions go against the rights of people. Corporations have the political and military backing of the state. Power is constructed. Extreme corporate capitalism is how it is created. Consecrated tyranny is portrayed by these sanctions.

1.      Corporations are the perfect vehicle for exploitation without accountability.

2.      Corporations are constructed by state power and cannot exist without it.

3.      Oppression is always both political and economic between political and economic systems.

            The theme throughout history was that corporation power versus democracy.

·         The people in power organize to exploit and harm other people for profit, and,

·         The people who are being exploited and harmed organize to resist.

            Corporations were considered to have the same rights as people and were being considered more important than people when the following legal battles were won by the wealthy corporations:

·         1886 – Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad. The 14^th Amendment was used to protect the railroad which was put into place to protect African Americans from discrimination. A corporation can sue a city or other municipality if they are not permitted to locate in that community under the protection of the 14^th amendment.

·         1906 – Hale vs. Henkel. Corporations were protected under the 4^th Amendment which involves the protection of search and seizure. Regulators must get a warrant before they can inspect businesses for possible violation of labor and environmental laws.

·         1922 – Pennsylvania Coal Company vs. Mahon. Corporations are protected under the 5^th Amendment which involves protections against the government taking their property without compensation. Corporations are entitled to getting back all the money they could have earned if their property was not seized.

·         1976 – Buckley vs. Valeo. The Supreme Court ruled that corporations have the First Amendment right to freedom of speech. Since Corporations don’t have mouths to speak with, they can speak by spending money in elections, removing limits on political spending.

 

·         1996 – International Dairy Foods Association vs. Amestoy. The Supreme Court overturns a Vermont law requiring the labeling of all products containing bovine growth hormone. Corporations were given the right not to speak and extending it to statements of fact as well as statement of opinion.

·         2010 – Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission. Reaffirms that a corporation is a person and states that any restrictions on corporations’ money in elections violates the corporations’ First Amendment right to free speech. This ruling abolishes all federal and state limits.

            Laws were passed by Congress that did support the people such as women’s right to vote and the Civil Rights Act of 1866 which extended the right of emancipated African Americans by stating any person born in the U.S. regardless of race is a U.S. citizen. These laws were passed because people stood up to the government and fought for what is right. Money and interest has too much control of the majority’s lives. There are gross injustices. What would happen if people who didn’t count the first time look at the top of the pyramid?