Liberal Response To Campaign Finance Ruling: Let’s Change The 1st Amendment!
A group led by Ralph Nader is calling for an amendment to the Constitution denying for-profit corporations (read: businesses) free speech rights.
“Public Citizen will aggressively work in support of a constitutional amendment specifying that for-profit corporations are not entitled to First Amendment protections, except for freedom of the press. We do not lightly call for a constitutional amendment. But today’s decision so imperils our democratic well-being, and so severely distorts the rightful purpose of the First Amendment, that a constitutional corrective is demanded.
“We are formulating language for possible amendments, asking members of the public to sign a petition to affirm their support for the idea of constitutional change, and planning to convene leading thinkers in the areas of constitutional law and corporate accountability to begin a series of in-depth conversations about winning a constitutional amendment.”
The problem? Corporations are people too in that they represent their employees and investors, and to a lesser extent their customers. Are we to believe that a business interest cannot, for instance, speak out against regulations that might be detrimental to its operations?
Setting politics aside, what are the implications here? Oil companies cannot advocate for expanded allowances for drilling? Green power companies cannot advocate for the government subsidies and mandates that keep them afloat? Small businesses can’t advocate against labor laws and taxes that might put them out of business?
What if I’m a small businessman who repairs bicycles. I have one employee. I incorporated my business because of the tax advantages. One day, some politician decides we should ban bicycles. This constitutional amendment would have it that I would have no right to speak out against that law?
This is patently ridiculous, though telling it that it shows just how much disdain some on the left seem to have for our constitution.
