One Man One Vote
"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."-Abraham Lincoln
<rant>
I too am concerned about my country, our democracy. Paradoxically it is “Free Speech” that concerns me. Now this is not the “Free Speech” I grew up learning about in school. The guy at the park or public square standing on the proverbial soap box telling the world why he's a Christian or why he's an Atheist or that he is just a dumb fuck with something he wants to say. And I'm not talking about the line of speakers at the commission meeting, or the local school board, expressing their opinions one by one each receiving a chance, one for, and one against. Nor am I talking about the “Free Speech” that lets me criticize my leaders without being called unpatriotic or a local business without losing my job. That is definitely not the “Free Speech” I'm talking about. The "Free Speech" I'm talking about is that of the bullies of the world beating the crap out of the rest of us not with words but with dollars. These are the assholes that buy all the radio and TV stations and then control the content. Just like the air we breathe the airways belong to the public, for the benefit of all of us. No individual in a democracy has a right to control that air or those airways. They are ours. Now I'm not saying that politicians shouldn't be able to use them to present their messages, and I’m not saying that a business shouldn’t be able to make a profit, but I am saying that there is something wrong when we only hear one voice, the voice with the money. If our democracy is to survive them someone has to tell these dick wads that free speech is definitely not monopolizing our airways. The country was founded on the principal of one-man one vote. What we have today is one dollar one vote and that my friends is tyranny not democracy. There is nothing free about that “Speech” it will cost us our way of life. </rant>
Comments
While I agree with your sentiments there is a problem here in law. Your constitution (I'm Canadian) only guarantees that the government will not curtail your speech. The first ammendment does not apply to private property or corporations.
Great site! I've linked to it from mine. http://www.thealders.net/blogs/blogger.html
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution does apply to corporations, as does the rest of the Bill of Rights, as of 1886.
That was the year the Supreme Court deemed a corporation to be a natural person in the case of Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad.
Here's an example of First Amendment use by a corporation:
. http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2002/10/14/daily1.html .
"Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) Monday filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking it to review a recent California Supreme Court ruling that the footwear company contends violates its First Amendment free speech rights. In essence, Nike was sued for false advertising based on its claims regarding its Third World labor practices..."
Thanks for your comments Jerry. Of course you are right about SCC vs SPR and thanks for the link. I agree with Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas when Sixty years after it was inked, he said of Santa Clara that it "could not be supported by history, logic or reason." I agree with this piece by adbusters on the subject. It is in part the fact that the decision gave corporations rights I don't believe they ever should have had that led to this rant.