What is Occupy Wallstreet?

[kandrathe]

The people representing and involved in those newspapers or churches can go to the voting booth like the rest of us, same with the corporations and unions. Money shouldn't be free speech in my opinion.

I think what we are talking about is political speech, not voting. Can a newspaper engage in political speech? Can the local priest talk to his congregation about being against abortion laws or proposed changes to marriage laws?

A church, a media concern, a corporation or a union are just contractually formed groups of people, who have representatives who speak on their behalf. If I don't like what Rupert Murdoch says, then I'm free to divest myself of his corporations and invest myself in a corporation where I agree with what they are doing and saying.

This is the fundamental concern about union card check laws, and being forced to belong to the union and have dues deducted without your consent. On the one hand, you could just get all the benefits of being employed at a union shop without paying the dues, and on the other, you are forced to belong to this organization in order to get work in certain professions. People don't belong to unions to engage in political speech, just as stock holders probably don't own stock to support a particular corporate political stance. Unions engage in political speech ostensibly to promote their workers rights, and corporations would engage in political speech to promote their cause, or defend their cause.

When government was against big tobacco, big tobacco had its ability to defend itself curtailed (not that I'm in support of them by any means). How does a gun manufacturer, like Beretta (in business since 1526), defend itself against a movie like "Runaway Jury"? Could a Micheal Moore movie even be made, since it's a bunch of corporations engaging in political speech. And... we are talking about a non-profit corporation who made a movie "Hillary: The Movie" -- and if making a documentary movie about a politician violates campaign finance laws.

Just to repeat a part of the post I made earlier that struck me...

"Campaign finance expert Jan Baran, a member of the Commission on Federal Ethics Law Reform, agreed with the decision, writing that "The history of campaign finance reform is the history of incumbent politicians seeking to muzzle speakers, any speakers, particularly those who might publicly criticize them and their legislation. It is a lot easier to legislate against unions, gun owners, 'fat cat' bankers, health insurance companies and any other industry or 'special interest' group when they can't talk back."

And if they don't get free speech, then ...

Does a corporation have the right to not be tried again for the same crime? Does a corporation have the right to a jury trial? Does a corporation have the right to invoke the 5th amendment? How about just compensation for property taken for public use? Do they have the right to protection from unusual search and seizure? How about the 14th amendment equal protection (i.e. not being singled out by law), and the right to due process?