Corporations

I am still incensed by the Supreme Court’s decision opening the flood gates to allow them to spend unlimited funds in favor or against people running for the office of President or Congress. This letter is my attempt to explore further the meaning of this. I will start with the definition as found in my 1952 Webster Dictionary. I added the date as definitions may have changed since then. I will leave that research to you.
Corporate – United in a body, as a number of individuals who are empowered to transact business as an individual; formed into a body; united; collectively one.
Corporation - A body corporate, formed and authorized by law to act as a single person; a society having the capacity of transacting business as an individual; the body or bodily frame of a man.

I can see where the idea of granting the same rights to corporations as individuals could be found in the definition, but I insist that is not what is meant. All it means is that when people join together to conduct business, that they then work together as if they were a single person. In no way does it mean that they are an individual entitled to the protections as listed in the Bill of Rights for people.
Further I want to find out the courts definition of a corporation allowed to finance elections. I will be sending this to elected officials and others asking for a response to clarify this ruling to me. The following is a concern. There are many corporations doing business in the United States. Let us assume they are all legal entities. Some of them are owned by Americans, others are owned in total or in part by foreign entities, just for example; Budweiser, Miller, Toyota, Honda. The list goes on and on. We know for instance that the governments of China and other countries have pseudo ownership of their corporations. Are they to be allowed to spend funds to influence our elections? I can remember not so long ago when there was uproar over political contributions given to candidates for President from China. I can envision foreign countries having an opportunity to support candidates who are advocates to the benefit of their countries rather than our own. This would be outrageous. Somewhere, somehow I will get an answer to my concern.

Jack B. Walters
3961 N. Hillwood Circle
Tucson, AZ 85750
(520) 722-2958
January 23, 2010
jackbwalters@yahoo.com