Should Corporations Be Allowed to Vote?

Yes, says a Montana lawmaker

Corporations would have the right to vote in municipal elections, under a bill introduced by a Montana state legislator.

The measure by Republican Rep. Steve Lavin (R-Kalispell) would grant a corporation that owns property within a district the right to vote there. A president, vice president, secretary, or another representative could cast the ballot on behalf of their company.

Liberal blog Think Progress said giving corporations the right to vote is "quite a step beyond what even this Supreme Court has embraced." In the controversial Citizens United vs. the Federal Election Commission case, the court ruled that corporations could make unlimited political contributions.

The Montana bill does contain some limits. Corporations would not be allowed to vote in school elections. It looks unlikely the bill will pass. It was tabled by a legislative committee.

Via Think Progress. H/T Politix Users DARSB and PNWest.

Should corporations be allowed to vote in municipal elections?

[PNWest]

Good catch @DARSB. Does it surprise anyone that a republican would make a proposal like this?

[martydotcom]

the definition of a voter in all legal dictionaries starts off with "A voter is a citizen....."

[DARSB]

@martydotcom Not "A voter is a Citizen United....?"

[methinks]

Lest you forget that Dems are also in the back pockets of corporations.

Face it, corporations already vote by buying politicians on both sides of aisle. End of statement.

[DARSB]

@methinks I'm not a fan of Citizen's United, but as I look at the return on investment for money spent in the last election, I'm not so worried about it.

One of the few groups that sucked even more than Karl "Turd Blossom, You Wasted One Third of a Billion Dollars" Rove was the NRA, which saw less than 1% of its financially-endorsed candidates succeed.

Money isn't always first on everybody's agenda. This may be the electoral dynamic that neuters the influence of corporate donors. I hope so.

[PNWest]

@DARSB When things like that happen it gives me faith in humanity. Don't you see a divine hand at work when a minimum wage or less earning wait staffer with a cell phone camera is able to outwork over half a billion dollars of billionaire paid for negative advertising? The irony there is just too sweet.

[Keyjo]

Not only "NO,"
But, "HELL NO!"
Corporations should have absolutely no voice equal to that of a citizen. Corporations ate NOT people. The people who work for them are citizens and can vote.
Additionally, lobbying (legalized bribery) is reprehensible and should be outlawed.

[zeke]

I agree with everything you said, could'nt thing of anything better! And sadly i'm a Republican.

[Fishbone345]

@zeke it's not sad at all. Party affiliation takes a back seat in something like this.

[kramresim1]

Thank you! This is heresy. Corporations already have too much power! pres. Ike said "beware of the military-industrial complex".

[Keyjo]

@kramresim1
Yes he did, in his farewell address to the nation as president.
Too bad we didn't listen.

[Knightkore]

Thank you. My thoughts exactly....actually I was thinking of a facepalm....but....you get the idea....

[PNWest]

We should treat corporations like people the day that Texas executes one of them.

[stepped_in_it]

bahaha......now there's an execution I'd like to see!

[jessejaymes]

Best response of the Day.

[texas_cutie75]

WHAT!?!

[MetaphorBreeze]

rofl! That, my friend, was perfect!

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

And I'm fine with executing a company the day we can prove that one went on a mass killing rampage like Adam Lanza or James Holmes.

[tgirl2]

Hmmmm.....one wonders who voted yes.

[Food4thoughts]

Welcome back ;-)

[Fishbone345]

I was going to say the same thing. Good to see they can't keep you down. :)

[tgirl2]

@Fishbone345 Its ironic, the trolls on this site are allowed to say anything and their posts arent deleted, nor are they banned, but God forbid if a non-troll defends themself from said trolls.

[dances-weebles]

one also wonders why they did

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

@Food4thoughts - I don't know if welcome is the word.

[Food4thoughts]

Joking obviously...

[AntiPorcheria]

I suppose next we'll be trying to extend voting rights to churches, fraternal organizations, boy and girl scout troops, hospitals, clinics, Wal-Marts, Dairy-Queen franchizes and internet Facebook groups of 10 or more. Really, intelligence is in such short freaking supply.

[Denizen_Kate]

@AntiPorcheria - churches, maybe . . . but I don't think many of the rest of those on your list have enough money to buy voting status, other than those that are already corporations.

[mwr]

this knuckle head needs to be investigated! either drug use or under the table pay off has gotten the best of the individual. Corporations already buy politicians and votes with cash, strong arm employees to vote as directed..now someone thinks "IT" should have an open public vote. Someone has been watching to many sci fi movies!

[Dan_Tien]

It's good to see that the motion was tabled by more sensible minds.

[Politic-n]

Heck NO! Nuff said on this foolishness.

[armed_liberal]

Corporations already do vote. Big oil and tobacco have receipts for the Tea Party.

[Politic-n]

@armed_liberal Pharmaceutical companies make big oil look like paupers, and they own BOTH parties. The corruption goes on.

[NavinRJohnson]

Of course they should. As soon as they are able to serve in our military.

[DavidRobertson]

Corporations should not be allowed to vote, nor should foreign nationals, convicted felons, or the insane.

[stepped_in_it]

Sure, why not. As soon as corporations pay at the same tax rate as a "person"!

[RedFloppyShoes]

Voting is for the individual. Corporations are made up of individuals, which is defined as a collective. A collective is never legally allowed to vote.

[dances-weebles]

you raise an interesting point... what came to my mind as i read it, however, is that collectives (pacs and super pacs) are legally allowed to buy a political office for a candidate. (or at least try to) i think that the reins ought to be pulled in on that bit, also.

[whataGOVwehave]

Don't they already?

[Sonny]

This NO---doesn't even require an explanation.

[lawnmowrman]

Granting corporations protection under the Constitution has to be the most liberal decision ever made. It's hard to believe that so called conservative judges would make such a decision. It's only been a couple of years since I made the comment on another forum that it would only be a matter of time before corporations would be given the right to vote. Should it ever happen, all employees of each corporation should be required to waive their right to vote, and the corporations vote should not count any more than any one person's vote.

[SignifiedNBlue]

Too deranged lol

[Starsplash]

No... The same way they are not people.

Its just a company.

[Medicinebow]

Sometimes you just gotta ask...HUH?

[Speedieg]

I noticed none of the yes voters are posting anything. I guess the voices in their headed have not chimed in yet.

[kathyparsell]

My God how much more power are these idiots willing to give inanimate objects, the already get to sway elections, now they want to give them a vote! Phew..I am almost speechless.