Hopes and Prospects: on Corporations


John Roberts: Citizens United: corporate political ads are free speech

Over the years, the privileges granted to these state-created private tyrannies have been extended, primarily by courts. Corporations are legally persons under the law, with rights far beyond those of human beings.

In the 2010 Supreme Court 5-4 decision on Citizens United, Chief Justice Roberts selected a case that could easily have been settled on narrow grounds, and maneuvered the Court into using it for a far-reaching decision that, in effect, permits corporate managers to buy elections directly, instead of using more indirect means.

Corporate campaign contributions are a major factor in determining the outcome of elections, and the same is sure to be true of the virtually unlimited advertising for candidates now permitted by the Court. This alone is a significant factor in policy decisions, reinforced by the enormous power of corporate lobbies and other conditions imposed by the very small sector of the population that dominates the economy.

Source: Hopes and Prospects, by Noam Chomsky, p. 31-32 Jun 1, 2010

Noam Chomsky: Corporations are legal persons with more rights than people

Over the years, the privileges granted to these state-created private tyrannies have been extended, primarily by courts. Corporations are legally persons under the law, with rights far beyond those of human beings.

In the 2010 Supreme Court 5-4 decision on Citizens United, Chief Justice Roberts selected a case that could easily have been settled on narrow grounds, and maneuvered the Court into using it for a far-reaching decision that, in effect, permits corporate managers to buy elections directly, instead of using more indirect means.

Corporate campaign contributions are a major factor in determining the outcome of elections, and the same is sure to be true of the virtually unlimited advertising for candidates now permitted by the Court. This alone is a significant factor in policy decisions, reinforced by the enormous power of corporate lobbies and other conditions imposed by the very small sector of the population that dominates the economy.

Source: Hopes and Prospects, by Noam Chomsky, p. 31-32 Jun 1, 2010

  • The above quotations are from Hopes and Prospects, by Noam Chomsky.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Corporations.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Noam Chomsky on Corporations.
  • Click here for more quotes by Barack Obama on Corporations.
Candidates and political leaders on Corporations:
2010 Retiring Democratic Senators:
CT:Dodd
DE:Kaufman
IL:Burris
IN:Bayh
ND:Dorgan
WV:Byrd
WV:Goodwin 		<2010 Retiring Republican Senators:
FL:Martinez
FL:LeMieux
KS:Brownback
KY:Bunning
MO:Bond
NH:Gregg
OH:Voinovich
PA:Specter
UT:Bennett 		Newly appointed/elected Senators, 2009-2010:
DE:Kaufman (D)
CO:Bennet (D)
IL:Burris (D)
MA:Brown (R)
NY:Gillibrand (D)
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Page last updated: Jul 19, 2011