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'Corporations Are People' Is Built on an Incredible 19th-Century Lie
The Atlantic ^
| Mar 5, 2018
| Adam Winkler
Posted on 03/07/2018 6:46:00 PM PST by null and void
Somewhat unintuitively, American corporations today enjoy many of the same rights as American citizens. Both, for instance, are entitled to the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion. How exactly did corporations come to be understood as “people” bestowed with the most fundamental constitutional rights? The answer can be found in a bizarre—even farcical—series of lawsuits over 130 years ago involving a lawyer who lied to the Supreme Court, an ethically challenged justice, and one of the most powerful corporations of the day.
(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Government
KEYWORDS: yep
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The Atlantic must be excerpted and linked.
Worth reading.
To: null and void
Of course corporations are people.
What the hell do these anti-capitalists think created them? Are composed of? Employ?
2
posted on
03/07/2018 6:48:07 PM PST
by
the OlLine Rebel
(Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs.)
To: null and void
Somewhat unintuitively, American corporations today enjoy many of the same rights as American citizens. Both, for instance, are entitled to the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion.Don't nonprofit organizations, as collections of citizens, enjoy those rights? If so, why not corporations?
3
posted on
03/07/2018 6:48:48 PM PST
by
NobleFree
("law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual")
To: the OlLine Rebel
4
posted on
03/07/2018 6:49:05 PM PST
by
combat_boots
(God bless Israel and all who protect and defend her! Merry Christmas! In God We Trust!)
To: null and void
Around here in the peoples republic of MA, Corporations are NOT people. But, unions are people. Go figure...
5
posted on
03/07/2018 6:50:59 PM PST
by
C210N
(Republicans sign check fronts; 'Rats sign check backs.)
To: null and void
How can a group of people have less rights than a single person alone?
6
posted on
03/07/2018 6:51:07 PM PST
by
eclecticEel
("The petty man forsakes what lies within his power and longs for what lies with Heaven." - Xunzi)
To: null and void
And I’m loathe to take seriously any person who uses “robber baron” in their lexicon.
7
posted on
03/07/2018 6:51:26 PM PST
by
the OlLine Rebel
(Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs.)
To: NobleFree
The Atlantic is OK with unions being in the same category.
To: null and void
Sometimes the whole is larger than the sum of its parts.
9
posted on
03/07/2018 6:52:30 PM PST
by
SpaceBar
To: the OlLine Rebel
Did you read the article?
10
posted on
03/07/2018 6:53:23 PM PST
by
null and void
(The difference between the democrats and the GOPe is the GOPe has a smaller fire under the frog pot.)
To: null and void
How about this compromise...corporation will no longer have “free speech” rights if those same rights are denied to labor unions.
11
posted on
03/07/2018 6:55:52 PM PST
by
Gay State Conservative
(Obama & Hillary: The Two Most Corrupt Politicians of My Lifetime.)
To: null and void
Corporations are groups of people.
12
posted on
03/07/2018 6:55:54 PM PST
by
Bubba_Leroy
(The Obamanation has ended!)
To: eclecticEel
Beats me, but the reasoning used to establish that as a matter of US law is flawed.
Perhaps it’s time to revisit the decision, and give it firm and honest footing?
13
posted on
03/07/2018 6:55:59 PM PST
by
null and void
(The difference between the democrats and the GOPe is the GOPe has a smaller fire under the frog pot.)
To: the OlLine Rebel
Yeah. Did you read the article?
14
posted on
03/07/2018 6:56:37 PM PST
by
null and void
(The difference between the democrats and the GOPe is the GOPe has a smaller fire under the frog pot.)
To: null and void
“Corporations are people” is the essential driving concept behind the original, Italian version of Fascism.
15
posted on
03/07/2018 6:57:13 PM PST
by
thoughtomator
(Number of arrested coup conspirators to date: 0)
To: the OlLine Rebel
entitled to the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion
How does, say, Toyota exercise its freedom of religion?
16
posted on
03/07/2018 6:57:23 PM PST
by
sparklite2
(See more at Sparklite Times)
To: SpaceBar
Indeed! Longer lived too. But one cannot jail or execute a corporation. In that sense, person-hood or no, they are beyond the reach of justice.
17
posted on
03/07/2018 6:58:21 PM PST
by
null and void
(The difference between the democrats and the GOPe is the GOPe has a smaller fire under the frog pot.)
To: combat_boots
with all the current ‘Russia’ hysteria, why hasn’t the point been made that all these ‘Progressive’ leftist promotions are coming from Russia?
I’d love to see them screaming ‘McCarthyism’ when called out.
Buying stock in Dramamine.
18
posted on
03/07/2018 6:59:08 PM PST
by
griswold3
(Just another unlicensed nonconformist in am dangerous Liberal world.)
To: Gay State Conservative
How about this compromise...corporation will no longer have “free speech” rights if those same rights are denied to labor unions. I don't quite understand your point, unions never seem to shut the heck up!
19
posted on
03/07/2018 6:59:52 PM PST
by
null and void
(The difference between the democrats and the GOPe is the GOPe has a smaller fire under the frog pot.)
To: Bubba_Leroy
Corporations are groups of people. Who are legally shielded from personal liability...
20
posted on
03/07/2018 7:00:46 PM PST
by
null and void
(The difference between the democrats and the GOPe is the GOPe has a smaller fire under the frog pot.)
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