Commentary: Financial Donations in Elections
Dear Editor,
Big business, Conservative politicians, and the Supreme Court have recently taken steps to give for-profit corporations the status of individuals in the realm of making financial donations in elections and in proclaiming exemption from valid laws because of corporate “religious beliefs”. It is obvious to me that this is a self-serving hypocritical rationalization. I wish to make the point that even if it declared to be legal, its implementation grossly violates the criminal law of the land.
First, a for-profit corporation is a fiction- it is an entity devised so that a group of businessmen can deal as a group with the government for tax purposes and with the public for liability purposes. It does not bleed, it does not breathe, it does not serve in the Armed Forces, and often it evades paying taxes! No matter what transpires, it cannot be arrested and cannot be imprisoned. It cannot attend Church, sit in a pew, and Praise God. It cannot have a religious belief.
However, the Supreme Court in its wisdom has declared that it may donate money to political causes and may avoid certain legal obligations because they conflict with its “religious beliefs”. There is only one legitimate “belief” or mandate for a corporation. That is, to generate income for its owners, the stockholders. That is a legitimate action under its charter. Any other activities must be carefully examined to see if they comply with that mandate.
Obviously I believe in a narrow, strict interpretation of the law in this issue. However, even if we accept that the Supreme Court is correct and that corporations have the right to donate money, (and perhaps eventually to vote) in elections, I believe that the present system is one of usurpation of power, stealing of rights, embezzlement of assets, by Corporate Employees. This should be investigated by the District Attorney or the Attorney General’s office, and criminal charges brought.
Who are these criminals? They are the CEOs, the CFOs, the President and members of the Board of Directors. Who are the victims? You and I are the victims.
We own the corporations. We own stock- one share or one thousand shares, we are the owners. We ARE the corporation. The CEO, the CFO, the VP, are salaried employees. They are supposed to do our bidding. The Board and its President are elected by us to act in our interest. They have all abrogated their responsibility.
Never have I received a proxy statement that asks my opinion about corporate donations, about attitudes about issues of sexual orientation, about political party preferences. Yet my assets are being distributed freely in accord with the beliefs and desires of these very highly paid employees! And, worse yet, the Board I chose does not oversee their action! Therefore the officers are guilty of embezzlement and the Board guilty of aiding and abetting this activity! They should all be prosecuted and I and my fellow stockholders should be the ones to determine disposition of corporate assets.
These ideas may sound radical or naive, but I think they are expressions of very conservative economic and political thought.
Henry Kaminer
