Supreme Court: Do Corporations have a Right to Free Speech?

2009-09-07 20:27:51

#1

Harmor: Error_Name_Not_Found; +605|6837|San Diego, CA, USA

Do Corporations have a Right to Free Speech?

Economits View wrote:
The Supreme Court is going to decide if corporations have First Amendment rights that allow "direct, unlimited corporate participation in campaigns...

This is huge. This decision will determine if corporations can directly (as apposed to indirectly they do today), influence the political system.

2009-09-07 20:32:42

#2

Turquoise: O Canada; +1,596|6693|North Carolina

I would say they do to an extent, but they shouldn't be allowed to supercede the will of the people.

2009-09-07 20:56:28

#3

Cybargs: Moderated; +2,285|7004

Hell no. Their CEO's could speak their views but a company should not be politically affiliated. Guilded Age anyone?

https://cache.www.gametracker.com/server_info/203.46.105.23:21300/b_350_20_692108_381007_FFFFFF_000000.png

2009-09-08 00:31:02

#4

BVC: Member; +325|6984

The mere fact that such a thing is being discussed shows that the idea of democracy isn't held in high regard.

2009-09-08 00:32:20

#5

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|6889|132 and Bush

Pubic wrote:
The mere fact that such a thing is being discussed shows that the idea of democracy isn't held in high regard.

Ironic

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2009-09-08 01:26:47

#6

mcminty: Moderating your content for the Australian Govt.; +879|7009|Sydney, Australia

They can't seriously give them "free speech", if it relates to directly funding a political campaign. And anyway, surely the shareholders of a corporation would be against allocating capital to a political campaign. It can't possibly be in the interests of maximizing shareholder return...

But then that would be assuming there are no "old boys club" shenanigans, favors and kickbacks going on behind the scenes.

2009-09-08 03:23:55

#7

FEOS: Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate; +1,182|6699|'Murka

Sounds an awful lot like unions being politically active and endorsing specific candidates...which should be up to a vote of the membership. But isn't.

If they rule that corporations have 1st Amendment rights, then any endorsement/political action should come at the behest of the shareholders, not the corporate board...and the same should apply to the unions.

Would be interesting to see a corporation go one way and its union go the other (which usually happens, anyway).

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular

2009-09-08 10:56:10

#8

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5874

Makes a good headline but this really isn't all that panic worthy.

If doesn't matter if a Corporation gives several million dollars or their CEO does, the candidate is still getting the money and being influenced. This just makes it more direct and ultimately easier to track which corporations have a interest in which candidates.

2009-09-08 10:58:18

#9

SEREMAKER: BABYMAKIN EXPERT √; +2,187|6856|Mountains of NC

bc of double standards ...... no-one has the right to freedom of speech anymore

https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/17445/carhartt.jpg

2009-09-08 15:25:33

#10

Diesel_dyk: Object in mirror will feel larger than it appears; +178|6282|Truthistan

Its pretty tough for corporations to hsve full speech rights when by law they are not allowed to have "ethics." Meaning that their goal is to create profit for the owner/shareholders and their articles of incorporation or other documents creating the corporation can't include or be constrained by other ethical considerations.

Viewed from that point of view, its like permitting a immortal person who is a purely sociopathic or psyhopathic person to say or print whatever they want in the name of profit.

"hey you, dumb dumb, drink this or smoke that, it will kill you but who the hell cares, my only concern is with the bottom line."

If the the govt can't control that type of speech or at least "inject" some common sense to protect its citizens then you might as well elect a corporation to the presidency and be done with it.

2009-09-09 19:39:44

#11

Turquoise: O Canada; +1,596|6693|North Carolina

Diesel_dyk wrote:
If the the govt can't control that type of speech or at least "inject" some common sense to protect its citizens then you might as well elect a corporation to the presidency and be done with it.

QFT

BF2S Forums Supreme Court: Do Corporations have a Right to Free Speech?

Economits View wrote:

Pubic wrote:

Diesel_dyk wrote:

Board footer