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Corporate Personhood: An Update from WA and Beyond
"The Framers of the Constitution intended the First Amendment to protect the rights of citizens, everyday people, not corporations. Corporations are not people. They are artificial entities created by the state with state-based advantages. In fact, the recent Supreme Court ruling will certainly drown out the voices of the very citizens the First Amendment was meant to protect."
—David Swanson
Corporate Personhood Isn't Just About Campaign Donations
from the South Sound Alliance for Democracy & Pierce County Veterans for Peace.
In 1989, the Exxon Valdez spilled millions of gallons of oil in Prince William Sound. Wildlife, the local economy, communities, and thousands of miles of environment were devastated. Complex litigation has dragged on for two decades, and Exxon-Mobil is winning.
The doctrine of corporate personhood is a major enabler of Exxon-Mobil's litigation and of corporate domination of our society in general. It is a perennial roadblock to democracy and social, economic, and environmental justice. The results of this doctrine are disastrous for both the natural world and the human spirit. Among other things, it's allowed insurance companies to de-rail meaningful healthcare reform.
IN WASHINGTON STATE:
Ott and Cobb Speak on the Doctrine of Corporate Personhood
Riki Ott is a marine biologist and toxicologist based in Cordova, Alaska that worked on the Exxon-Valdez spill. She is director of Ultimate Civics, and a co-organizer of the Campaign to Legalize Democracy.
David Cobb is a member of the Board of Directors for the Green Institute, on the Sierra Club's national Corporate Accountability Committee, and was the 2004 presidential candidate of the Green Party USA.
Their co-presentation is scheduled for Orca Books, 509 4th Ave. East in downtown Olympia Tuesday, March 2nd at 7 PM, and Coffee Strong, the GI Coffee House at 15109 Union Ave South in Tillicum, on the main drag next-door to the Subway, on Friday March 5th at 7 PM.
Corporations should be subject to democratic control, not further empowered to kill democracy. For further info, see movetoamend.org/ and corporatepersonhood.com/.
IN MARYLAND:
First “Corporate Person” Announces Run for Congress
from Murray Hill, Inc.
Murray Hill Inc. for Congress says, “Corporations are people too!”
Following the recent Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission to allow unlimited corporate funding of federal campaigns, Murray Hill Inc. today announced it is running for US Congress.
“Until now,” Murray Hill Inc. said in a statement, “corporate interests had to rely on campaign contributions and influence-peddling to achieve their goals in Washington. But thanks to an enlightened Supreme Court, now we can eliminate the middle-man and run for office ourselves.”
Murray Hill Inc. is believed to be the first “corporate person” to exercise its constitutional right to run for office.
“The strength of America,” Murray Hill Inc. said, “is in the boardrooms, country clubs and Lear jets of America’s great corporations. We’re saying to Wal-Mart, AIG and Pfizer, if not you, who? If not now, when?”
“It’s our democracy. We bought it, we paid for it, and we’re going to keep it.”
Murray Hill Inc., a diversifying corporation in the Washington, D.C. area, has long held an interest in politics and sees corporate candidacy as an “emerging new market.”
The campaign’s “designated human,” Eric Hensal, is helping the corporation conform to “antiquated, human only” procedures by signing the necessary voter registration and candidacy paperwork. Hensal is excited by this new opportunity: “We want to get in on the ground floor of the democracy market before the whole store is bought by China.” Murray Hill Inc. has filed its voter registration with the Board of Elections in Montgomery County, Md., and will run in the Republican primary in Maryland’s 8th Congressional District.
Campaign manager William Klein promises an aggressive, historic campaign that “puts people second” or “even third.” “The business of America is business, as we all know,” Klein said. “But now, it’s the business of democracy, too.” Klein plans to use social networking, automated robo-calls, “Astroturf” lobbying, and computer-generated avatars to get out the vote.
“Corporations are people too,” Murray Hill Inc. said, “with the same rights and privileges enjoyed by humans. The Supreme Court says so!”
“The courts have devoted endless attention to the rights of the “unborn,” Klein said, “but finally, they are recognizing the rights of the never born.” Added Hensal: “The Supreme Court has opened up the next frontier of civil rights.”
In just six days, the campaign’s first video attracted over 43,000 views on YouTube and signed up over 1,100 friends on Facebook. Designated Human Eric Hensal and Campaign Manager William Klein have appeared on local and national radio and TV programs.
Klein may be reached at 301-412-1768, or williamklein@mac.com. Hensal may be reached at 202-262-9152, or congressinc@murrayhillweb.com.
The YouTube video is at youtube.com/user/murrayhillcongress and the Facebook page is at facebook.com/pages/Murray-Hill-Inc-for-Congress/314963396608?ref=ts The campaign website is www.murrayhillincforcongress.com/.
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.:
Congresswoman Edwards Introduces Constitutional Amendment
by David Swanson
In January, the United States Supreme Court issued a ruling striking at the heart of our democracy. The Court disregarded more than a century of precedent and ruled that our Constitution prevents the American people from regulating corporate money in our elections and politics. That’s wrong and we don’t buy it.
Thousands of you joined us in our call for a constitutional amendment to defend our democracy and to restore the First Amendment to its intended purpose: to protect people, not corporations.
And now Congresswoman Donna Edwards of Maryland has introduced a constitutional amendment to overturn the Court’s ruling. Joined by Congressman John Conyers, Jr. of Michigan, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, the Edwards amendment will ensure that Congress and the states may prohibit corporations from spending their funds for political activity.
We as a nation have amended the United States Constitution before. Twenty-seven times. That history includes amendments in response to US Supreme Court rulings directly threatening the democratic process. The Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. FEC demands a similar constitutional amendment response.
But to do this, we need to build a broad-based democracy movement. You can help make this happen.
• Sign the petition at freespeechforpeople.org/petition
• Forward this article to at least 10 or more of your friends urging that they join us and sign the petition.
• Contact your members of Congress in the House of Representatives and United States Senate, about the Edwards amendment.
• Organize a local amendment committee.
Together, we will reclaim our First Amendment and our democracy. ◆