Comments on: H.J.RES.74 – Donna Edwards Thank You for This http://www.grannypeacebrigade.org/wordpress/2010/02/03/h-j-res-74-donna-edwards-thanks/ Committed to the struggle to make a safe and peaceful world for all children and grandchildren. Thu, 22 Dec 2011 07:13:49 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Richard Keen http://www.grannypeacebrigade.org/wordpress/2010/02/03/h-j-res-74-donna-edwards-thanks/comment-page-1/#comment-1091 Richard Keen Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:57:39 +0000 http://www.grannypeacebrigade.org/wordpress/?p=600#comment-1091 I believe, although well intentioned, Amendment proposed in H.J. Res. 74 is (1) too vague and will lead to opposition that will defeat passage, (2) too limited in scope to accomplish meaningful reform of corporation power, and (3) could even be detrimental . If the Proposed Amendment should be passed and ratified, an army of corporation lawyers will (probably successfully) argue that the matter of corporations being persons has now been answered because the Constitution then recognized corporations as persons for all rights except that “Congress and the States may regulate the expenditure of funds for political speech”. Indeed, they will argue, if the Amendment was intended to limit other rights of corporations, it would have been so stated. It is obvious that the Proposed Amendment will benefit corporations at the expense of the citizenry. I suggest the following Proposed Amendment as a starting point for further discussion: "Section 1. Only natural persons shall be considered citizens of the United States. Section 2. Un-natural entities created by man shall not enjoy the rights granted by this document except as those granted by the Congress." I believe, although well intentioned, Amendment proposed in H.J. Res. 74 is (1) too vague and will lead to opposition that will defeat passage, (2) too limited in scope to accomplish meaningful reform of corporation power, and (3) could even be detrimental .

If the Proposed Amendment should be passed and ratified, an army of corporation lawyers will (probably successfully) argue that the matter of corporations being persons has now been answered because the Constitution then recognized corporations as persons for all rights except that “Congress and the States may regulate the expenditure of funds for political speech”. Indeed, they will argue, if the Amendment was intended to limit other rights of corporations, it would have been so stated. It is obvious that the Proposed Amendment will benefit corporations at the expense of the citizenry.
I suggest the following Proposed Amendment as a starting point for further discussion:
“Section 1. Only natural persons shall be considered citizens of the United States.
Section 2. Un-natural entities created by man shall not enjoy the rights granted by this document except as those granted by the Congress.”

]]> By: Richard http://www.grannypeacebrigade.org/wordpress/2010/02/03/h-j-res-74-donna-edwards-thanks/comment-page-1/#comment-750 Richard Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:20:30 +0000 http://www.grannypeacebrigade.org/wordpress/?p=600#comment-750 The notion that corporations are people is one of the most pernicious lies of the right wing of the judiciary (which is most of the judiciary, these days). It started around 1900 with a misinterpretation of a Supreme Court decision by a chief justice and a clerk, and has now ballooned into the reason corporations can purchase congress members at will. The Roberts decision must be stopped, and Donna Edwards & John Conyers seem to be the only ones with the moxie to try. Thank you for publicizing this! The notion that corporations are people is one of the most pernicious lies of the right wing of the judiciary (which is most of the judiciary, these days). It started around 1900 with a misinterpretation of a Supreme Court decision by a chief justice and a clerk, and has now ballooned into the reason corporations can purchase congress members at will. The Roberts decision must be stopped, and Donna Edwards & John Conyers seem to be the only ones with the moxie to try. Thank you for publicizing this!

]]> By: Phyllis http://www.grannypeacebrigade.org/wordpress/2010/02/03/h-j-res-74-donna-edwards-thanks/comment-page-1/#comment-748 Phyllis Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:34:07 +0000 http://www.grannypeacebrigade.org/wordpress/?p=600#comment-748 Fabulous! Thank you Eva Lee! Another "front" to address and we should thank Donna Edwards and John Conyers for this...not to mention what we should be doing re: our Senators and Congressional Representatives. Let's go at 'em! Fabulous! Thank you Eva Lee! Another “front” to address and we should thank Donna Edwards and John Conyers for this…not to mention what we should be doing re: our Senators and Congressional Representatives. Let’s go at ‘em!

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