Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

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cooran
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Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by cooran »

Hello all,

I heard yesterday that there is a way for Companies to vote in the U.S.A. - but haven't been able to verify this. Can any of our American members comment on this - is it correct or incorrect?

with metta
Chris
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andre9999
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Re: Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by andre9999 »

Corporations can't vote, but they cannot be banned from spending money on political campaigns (nor can labor unions). Whoever said that to you was referring to this US Supreme Court case:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/us/po ... cotus.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
chownah
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Re: Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by chownah »

In the US citizens can vote....non-citizens can not.

Corporations are not people so they can not be citizens so they can not vote....they can lobby though and it seems that lobbying is much more powerful than the vote.

chownah
MJH
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Re: Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by MJH »

cooran wrote:Hello all,

I heard yesterday that there is a way for Companies to vote in the U.S.A. - but haven't been able to verify this. Can any of our American members comment on this - is it correct or incorrect?

with metta
Chris
I'm sorry, but I think that someone has misinformed you. I remember hearing not too long ago, that companies maybe be allowed to contribute unlimited funds to election campaigns. I'm not sure if this is true or not. Maybe this is where the confusion started? (edit: post #2 has the answer)

By the way, I can vote in the US elections. :smile: I'm still a US citizen, I just haven't lived there for a long time. Too bad my candidate lost. :thinking:
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tiltbillings
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Re: Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by tiltbillings »

chownah wrote:In the US citizens can vote....non-citizens can not.

Corporations are not people so they can not be citizens so they can not vote....they can lobby though and it seems that lobbying is much more powerful than the vote.

chownah
What corporations can do is buy votes by dumping massive amounts of money into ad campaigns without having to identify themselves. The Republican party, the party big business and the party supported by big corporations, has become the master of fear and misinformation, getting people to vote against their best interest.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

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Ben
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Re: Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by Ben »

tiltbillings wrote:
chownah wrote:In the US citizens can vote....non-citizens can not.

Corporations are not people so they can not be citizens so they can not vote....they can lobby though and it seems that lobbying is much more powerful than the vote.

chownah
What corporations can do is buy votes by dumping massive amounts of money into ad campaigns without having to identify themselves. The Republican party, the party big business and the party supported by big corporations, has become the master of fear and misinformation, getting people to vote against their best interest.
That's interesting. In Australia in recent years there has been a fairly successful push to get political parties to disclose campaign donations from corporate sponsors. It was somewhat repealed by the Howard government which pushed the disclosure threshold back from $1500 to $10,000. But in perspective it is far more accountable and tranparent than what we had 20 years ago where there was virtually no disclosure.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_ ... _Australia" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
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JeffR
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Re: Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by JeffR »

tiltbillings wrote:
chownah wrote:In the US citizens can vote....non-citizens can not.

Corporations are not people so they can not be citizens so they can not vote....they can lobby though and it seems that lobbying is much more powerful than the vote.

chownah
What corporations can do is buy votes by dumping massive amounts of money into ad campaigns without having to identify themselves. The Republican party, the party big business and the party supported by big corporations, has become the master of fear and misinformation, getting people to vote against their best interest.
Well said.

There was a supreme court ruling about a year ago (linked in an earlier post) that basically ruled a corporation has the same rights as a person and through protection of free speech can anonymously donate unlimited amounts in campaign persuasion.

So, although they cannot cast a vote in the balloting; they can buy thousands of votes handily through the media brainwashing machine.

[side note:] Since corporations are now considered to have the same rights as individuals and thus have protection of free speech, what about the emancipation proclamation? Shouldn't all corporate share holders be prosecuted for slave ownership?
:thinking:

-Jeff
Therein what are 'six (types of) disrespect'? One dwells without respect, without deference for the Teacher; one dwells without respect, without deference for the Teaching; one dwells without respect, without deference for the Order; one dwells without respect, without deference for the precepts; one dwells without respect, without deference for heedfulness; one dwells without respect, without deference for hospitality. These are six (types of) disrespect.
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Ben
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Re: Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by Ben »

Hi Jeff,
JeffR wrote:[side note:] Since corporations are now considered to have the same rights as individuals and thus have protection of free speech, what about the emancipation proclamation? Shouldn't all corporate share holders be prosecuted for slave ownership?
I think you're going to run into some hurdles ascribing any criminal sanction as a result of corporate activity to shareholders, let alone the long dead. My understanding of corporations law, and corporations law in the US and Australia share some similarities, is that it is the directors and office holders who are legally responsible for the activities of the company, not its investors. As a company director and secretary, I am the person under the eyes of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, who is legally responsible for the activities of the company of which I am a part. I am confident that corporations law in the US would not be too dissimilar in that regard.
kind regards

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
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JeffR
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Re: Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by JeffR »

It was a tongue in cheek comment, Ben.

The basis of the supreme court argument of allowing corporations to freely influence politics financially was the bill of rights provision that all individuals have protected free speech. The decision was that a corporation is an individual as corporation laws go in the USA and are thus granted the same rights as individuals.

I think this is ridiculous, hence my comment; if the [corporate] individual is protected by the right to free speech, then it should follow that the [corporate] individual is protected by the right to be free from ownership.
Therein what are 'six (types of) disrespect'? One dwells without respect, without deference for the Teacher; one dwells without respect, without deference for the Teaching; one dwells without respect, without deference for the Order; one dwells without respect, without deference for the precepts; one dwells without respect, without deference for heedfulness; one dwells without respect, without deference for hospitality. These are six (types of) disrespect.
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Ben
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Re: Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by Ben »

Hi Jeff!
I didn't get your joke. I can be a dill sometimes!
kind regards

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
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JeffR
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Re: Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by JeffR »

It can be hard to tell how something is being delivered when there is no body language or audible tone coming with the words. :smile:

Love your posts, Ben. I don't post a lot myself but do enjoy reading some threads.

-Jeff :buddha1:
Therein what are 'six (types of) disrespect'? One dwells without respect, without deference for the Teacher; one dwells without respect, without deference for the Teaching; one dwells without respect, without deference for the Order; one dwells without respect, without deference for the precepts; one dwells without respect, without deference for heedfulness; one dwells without respect, without deference for hospitality. These are six (types of) disrespect.
:Vibh 945
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Ben
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Re: Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by Ben »

Thank you Jeff!
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
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appicchato
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Re: Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by appicchato »

corporations law
corporate law
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Ben
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Re: Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by Ben »

Hi Bhante,
appicchato wrote:
corporations law
corporate law
In Australia,its Corporations Law.
kind regards

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
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appicchato
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Re: Who can vote in the U.S.A.?

Post by appicchato »

In Australia,its Corporations Law.
Live and learn...thanks Ben... :smile:
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