OnTheIssues interviews with presidential candidates: on Corporations

Paul Adams: Wealthy rigged the sub-prime mortgage collapse

A: That is a necessity in our predicament. Had they not tanked the economy by rigging the sub-prime mortgage collapse, had they not exported jobs and asked to be bailed out, perhaps my hammer would not be coming down so hard on them. A nation is like a household. When we don't have an income, when we can't find work, we tighten our belts and make do, but also we make those who took us down pay for our recovery. In courts, we would be suing for damages. When we are flush, we can go to town and afford to take more risks, and not rely anymore on bail-outs. The middle class bailed out the banks; it's time now to settle accounts and have the banks and the wealthy bail out the middle class.

Mark Stewart: Keep the corporate income tax, but reduce it

The best income taxation is ZERO personal income tax on citizens. I would replace the income tax with a national sales tax and a wealth tax. A wealth tax requires a Constitutional Amendment, as we did in 1913 to allow an income tax. Wealth taxes on real property and vessels (cars, trucks and boats) give us efficiency (we know where the assets are and their value) and fairness (high-value properties pay more).

I would keep the corporate income tax, but reduce it slightly. Eventually I'd reduced it greatly, but I'd like to keep accountants employed for a few more years. And I would keep an income tax on NON-Citizens. In part this goes to the cost of our monitoring and aiding your build-up to citizenship. In part it keeps some earnings here instead of being shipped back home.

Jill Stein: Privatization is an enormous step backwards

Stein: I'm not aware of any--and I am aware of lots of miserable examples of privatization--everything from prisons to the military, public transportation, judicial services, social services--privatization is an enormous step backwards. On healthcare we would save $400 billion a year if we switched to single payer--to a fully non-privatized health insurance system--with health delivery the same, but payment via public insurance. Another great example is municipal energy systems--public systems costs less, are more responsive, do faster work, and consumers can direct their energy choices. We could then make good choices for consumers and for the planet. On every front public systems are outdoing private companies.

Robert Steele: End blind support for predatory banks and corporations

• We do not have a foreign policy, just blind support for predatory banks and corporations, Israel, dictators, and oil despots
• Ron Paul has it right--we need a foreign policy of peace, commerce, and friendship
• Department of State is an empty shell--need to move $200 billion a year from military to State
• Stabilization & Reconstruction is how we keep illegal immigrants home--eradicating corruption and no longer giving aid to governments but to projects will help

Robert Steele: Hold corporations responsible for supporting American labor

Robert Steele: Wealthiest 1% responsible for 22% unemployment

• The social contract between We the People and our governments at all levels demands that we all take the long view--think out Seven Generations.
• The concentration of wealth to the 1% has been made possible by Congressional corruption and is the primary reason our economy is hosed, unemployment is at 22% (not the lie of 9%), and hence Social Security is at risk.

Scott Keller: No corporate campaign donations of any kind

The Media is out of control as a propaganda war instead of a public service. They need to be there on campaigns not get paid off over who to favor.

Free speech means free speech for all of us; not just corporations and not just those who can "afford" it.

They have sold out the campaign process to the highest corporate bidder and allowed them to do all of that anonymously to boot.

Brian Moore: Eliminate corporate welfare, then eliminate corporations