CORPORATIONS
The U.S. Congress ratifies many bills that don't represent citizens' interests. A few important legislation's that were recently passed included: the Medicare bill, the monumental energy bill and environmental legislation.
The U.S. drug companies put into the Medicare bill a small provision that Americans can't go to other countries to buy prescription drugs. The idiotic rational for this legislation is that the drugs might be unsafe in other countries. In effect, that is saying that Canadians are risking their lives with the same or similar medications. Are the U.S. drug companies sending inferior products to Canada? How offensive to the Canadians!
The U.S. auto companies kept any oil conservation measures out of the energy bill. Do the board members of American oil and auto companies approve of the U.S sending dollars for oil to Muslim countries? That cash has the potential of reaching the terrorists hands. American auto companies are losing market share to foreign auto makers by not producing energy efficient cars. Most car owners don't enjoy spending large amounts per gallon for excess gasoline consumption.
Do the board members of the electric companies which currently use coal have children and breathe the air surrounding them? It is likely that they along with their wives and children don't live in the United States. If they live outside the U.S., they don't feel compelled to upgrade the U.S. plants. They just let the stockholders and most Americans breathe the dirty air. The board members other ploy is to buy credits from clean plants. That creates favored living areas. But what about those areas near the dirty plants? Who cares? It is definitely not a concern if those in charge live outside the U.S.
The directors and officers of companies do not necessarily speak for the stockholders or employees. The money they use to influence Congress is corporate money not their money. Money that is not used for the corporation must be given to the owners of the company. This logic must apply to any and all non-business expenses or gifts. Examine what major companies have donated for - special religious or educational causes. Many of these causes, like creationism, can be controversial, depending upon the viewpoint endowed. If stockholders received larger dividends, they could choose to make individual donations.
Our founding fathers provided for this situation of influencing the government toward their causes. The First Amendment states "to petition the Government for a redress of grievances," not to buy the government. If corporation directors think something is wrong, let them use corporate money to get stockholders to petition Congress.
Corporations are artificial creations of a government. It is the responsibility of the governments (the states) to restrict these expenses. In one way or another, the legislators' ox can or will be gored. If not today, then tomorrow!
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