The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

Corporations are not people’

?

On March 15, a group of Vermonters gathered at the Ira Allen Chapel to weigh in on questions surrounding big business and corporate spending. 

The topic of the meeting was ending corporate personhood, and it focused on addressing the Citizens United ruling, corporate personhood and money in politics.

The panel of speakers addressing these issues consisted of Vermont state Sen. Ginny Lyons, presidential candidate David Cobb and Ben and Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield. 

Viewpoints of the state and national level were addressed by Lyons and Cobb respectively, while Greenfield touched on the business side of things. 

Sen. Lyons introduced the issues and provided background to those in attendance who may have been new to the campaign. 

The movement to take down big business stems from a 2008 Supreme Court ruling against a nonprofit corporation, Citizens United, who attempted to use its own funds to run a film documentary against Hillary Clinton. 

The verdict that was passed by a 5-4 ruling upheld that large business corporations are protected with the same constitutional rights of speech as people of the United States under the First Amendment. 

“Money is not speech, corporations are not people,” Lyons said as she drove this home to the audience. 

The notion that “money is not speech” is derived from the corporate support and funding for election campaigns of important politicians. The number of super pacts between businesses and party candidates has climbed over to 30 in 2012, totaling about $300 million each, according to Lyons.

Lyons provided the audience with insight to the work that is being conducted in Vermont to combat the power of corporations. Presently, 64 towns in Vermont have passed legislation to help overturn corporate personhood across the nation and create a national movement.

“This is just the beginning,” Lyons said. “Together we are going to make this happen.” 

Sen. Bernie Sanders is also taking action on the issue. In December 2011, Sanders proposed an amendment titled Saving American Democracy that would overturn the Citizens United court ruling. The legislation consists of four main points that can be found at www.sanders.senate.gov.

David Cobb, 2004 Green Party presidential candidate and American activist, presented the conflict of corporate personhood from the national level. He described two main aspects of the problem and why their relationship makes no sense to him. 

First, Cobb defined democracy, which as stated in the U.S. Constitution means rule by the people. Next, he defined corporation as to have or create. 

“In legal terms, [a corporation] is referred to as legal fiction,” Cobb said of the word. “Meaning: [it is] fake, made up!”

Cobb described how large and powerful corporations have become since the issuing of the first charter of the U.S. in 1789. 

“We the people are now limited to choices we make in the grocery store, not how the country is run,” Cobb said.

Cobb described the anger that Americans have regarding corporate personhood as righteous anger. 

“Righteous anger is a good thing,” Cobb said. “It propels people into action.”

Greenfield spoke on what is being done to reverse the cycle of corporate manipulation. 

“Big business is the most powerful force in our nation,” Greenfield said. “It controls mainstream media, how we’re all treated and elections. To make more money is the only goal.” 

Ben and Jerry’s is leading the way for democratic innovation at the business level. 

The ice cream company is the founder of Businesses for Democracy, a national organization that is opposed to unlimited corporate spending. The organization is working to limit corporate spending and aims to support the small businesses of America. 

Other companies involved with the Business for Democracy movement include Patagonia, Stonyfield Inc. and Seventh Generation. 

To learn more, visit asbcouncil.org.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All The Vermont Cynic Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Activate Search
Corporations are not people’