Saturday, January 23, 2010

Corporate personhood amendment introduced in Congress!

I can't believe it! It's finally happening!

On Thursday night - hours after the Supreme Court charred 200 years of law by giving "rights" to corporations - I heard a rumor that Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa) introduced a constitutional amendment in Congress that would remedy this ruling. I couldn't find the text of it anywhere, so I had to assume this rumor was mistaken.

But now I've found the text, and it's no rumor. It's actually happening as we speak!

The text of this possible Twenty-Eighth Amendment is different from what I've seen proposed. For the record, I support organized labor. But this amendment limits both big corporations and labor unions - just as the recently overturned law did. While conservatives hate unions, everybody else hates corporations, so Boswell's amendment should satisfy everyone.

Then again, unions are a mere David to the Goliath of corporations. In effect, this amendment wouldn't limit unions much, simply because unions already have far less money than corporations to throw at political campaigns. I'm pleased to know the amendment would effectively hit corporations much harder. If we don't pass an amendment like this, unions will probably eventually be outlawed.

The proposed constitutional amendment reads:

"No corporation or labor organization may use any of its operating funds or any other funds from its general treasury to make any payment for any advertisement in connection with a campaign for election for Federal office, without regard to whether or not the advertisement expressly advocates the election or defeat of a specified candidate in the election."

Fair enough?

The amendment would effectively restore the century-old statute that was gutted by the Supreme Court - and then some!

And you know something? I think it's going to pass! Can anyone in Congress find a compelling argument not to abolish corporate personhood after the Supreme Court created this doctrine out of thin air?

So get ready for the first new amendment in 18 years!

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