SamGrantWilliams

12/7/15
ColumbusStateCommunityCollege
ENGL2367
ScottO'Callaghan
InclassSpeech

TheDangerOfCorporatePersonhood

HellomynameisSamuelGrantWilliamsandthetopicofmySpeechisaboutCorporate
PersonhoodandwhyIthinkitisaDangertoDemocracy.Manypeoplemightnotnotwhat
exactlyCorporatePersonhoodis.Personhoodisdefinedas
thequalityorconditionofbeingan
individualperson.Sobyextension,
CorporatePersonhoodisthequality/conditionofbeing
legallyrecognizedasapersonandtherefornodifferentthananindividualhumanbeing.After
hearingthis,peoplemayaskhowthenisCorporatePersonhoodathreattodemocracy,whichis
allaboutpreservingtherightsofthepeople.IfanythingitcouldbearguedthatCorporate
Personhoodisproofthatdemocracyisworking.thinkthatbecausedemocracyisabout
preservingtherightsofthepeople,theymaywonderhowisCorporatePersonhoodathreatto
democracy?.Theproblemwiththisisthatbygivingpersonhoodtononhumanentitiesyoutake
awaytherightsofrealpeople.TherearetwokindsofCorporatePersonhood:Thefirstsimply
bestowsuponcorporationstheabilitytoengageinmanylegalactions(e.g.enterintocontracts,
sue,besued,etc).However,corporatepersonhoodalsocommonlyreferstotheSupreme
Courtcreatedprecedentofcorporationsenjoyingconstitutionalrightsthatwereintendedsolely
forhumanbeings.


ThemostdangerousandclosetohomereasonwhyCorporatePersonhoodisathreatto
democracyisbecauseofsomethingexpertscalltheMoneyandMediaElectionComplex.It
isathreattodemocracybecauseitallowsprivateinterestgroupsandcompaniestospendendless
amountsofundocumentedandundisclosedmoneytohelpswaytheresultsofelections.The
mainissueisthatanaveragepersononlygetsonevote,andthatishowourelectionprocesswas
meanttobe.Corporationshowever,canspendmillionsofdollarsonadvertisingandbiased
reportsthatswaypublicopinioninfavorofcandidateswhoarebribedintosupportingbillsthat
helpsaidcorporations.Thisviolatestheelectoralsystembyputtingofficialsinpower,whoonly
representtheinterestsofasmallgroupwithmoneyandpowerandleavestherestofAmericans
todealwiththeconsequences.Anotherkeypointraisedbythosewhoopposethe
MoneyandMediaElectionComplexisthatvotersdonothavetherighttoknowwhois
spendingmoneyonwhomandhowmuchisspent.Theypointouttheironyandhypocrisyof
usingtheFirstAmendmentsrighttofreespeechtoviolateotherpeople'srightssuchasthe
freedomofthepress,whichalsocomesfromtheFirstAmendment.

AfarreachingconsequenceofCorporatePersonhood,isonethatnotonlyaffects
America,buttherestoftheworldaswell.AslongasCorporatePersonhoodexists,bigbusiness
willcontinuetodothingstomaximizeprofitsandmakeasmuchmoneyaspossible.Although
somemayarguethatCorporationswilldothisregardlessofiftheyhaveCorporatePersonhood
andinsomepartthisistrueduetoourcapitalisteconomy.WhatgettingridofCorporate
PersonhooddoesisitstopsCorporationsfromdoingthingsthatareoutrightillegalandimmoral

inordertomaximizeprofits.Corporationscangetawaywiththingslikedumpingwasteinto
lakesandhiringchildlaborersindevelopingcountriesbecausetheyhavetherighttoprivacyand
freecommerce.Becauseofthis,governmentscannotregulateandreprimandtheactionsofthese
corporations.Theserightsaregiventhroughavagueandsomewhatbotchedaninterpretationof
etheFirst,Fourth,Fifth,andFourteenthAmendmentsTheproblemwiththisisthatitdisrespects
theidealsthatfoundedthiscountry.Americaisacountrythatstandsforthedemocraticidealsof
freedom,justiceandequality,itcannotstandforhumanrightsviolationsandneedless
destruction.OnesuggestionforpeoplewhowishtofightCorporationsistosupporthuman
watchdogorganizationsthatmonitortheactionsofcorporations.Youcansignpetitions,writeto
politicians,andengageinprotest.However,thebestthingthattheaveragepersoncandois
boycotttheproductsandservicesofferedbytheseCorporations.AfterallbecauseAmericaisa
marketeconomyyouasaconsumercanchoosehowyouspendyourmoney.Ifyouspendyour
moneyelsewherethenyoucanforceCorporationsintomakingbetterpolicies.

AslongasCorporatePersonhoodexistsinAmerica,therecanneverbeatruedemocracy!Ifthis
continuestolast,thennoelectionwillbefreeofcorruption,andtherightsofworkerswillforeverbein
jeopardy.TheonlywaytostopthisthreatistocutoffCorporation'stwomainsuppliesofpower:One,the
clauseinFourteenthAmendmentthatgivesCorporationsthesamerightsashumanbeingsTwo,stop
givingthemfinancialsupportasconsumers.Americanshavebecomefartoodependentontheproducts
andservicesofferedbythesecompanies,andthisgivesthemthepowertoactastheyplease.This
however,iseasilycorrectedasAmericahasamarketbasedeconomycenteredonthegrowthoffree
spendingandfanaticalgain.ThisgivesallthepowertotheconsumerasCorporationsaredependenton

ourmoney.IfAmericansprotestbychoosinghowandwheretheyspendtheirmoneytheycanforce
companiesthatharmtheenvironment,uselaborfromdevelopingcountries,oraddtoelectioncampaigns
tomakemajorchanges.Thisinturnwilldeprivecorporationsoftheirpoliticalpowerbecausetheycanno
longerbuygovernmentofficialsinordertopassbillsthatgivethemmorefreedoms.