In addition to the rights supposedly granted to ordinary people, corporations have additional rights, such as immunity to most laws, especially the death penalty, even when the corporations act irresponsibly. Even when such behavior takes human lives, the corporations escape unscathed. When I was an undergraduate, H. L. Hunt, leader of the Hunt clan (and supposed Kennedy assassination conspirator), proposed on his radio show that one dollar – one vote would represent true democracy. The idea seemed ludicrous to me at the time, but Hunt proved prophetic, especially after the Citizens United decision.
Of course, Romney was absolutely correct. Corporations are people. Congress has the duty to (exclusively) represent these artificial people. Now is the time for all of the presidential candidates as well the rest of society to knowledge this fact. Corporations are people, and will continue to be people until the time comes that real people wake up and put an end to this nonsense in which corporate rights take precedence over human rights.
-- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929
530 898 5321 fax 530 898 5901 http://michaelperelman.wordpress.com