Paul Cienfuegos – Corporations vs. People (lecture)
The Citizens United Supreme Court decision gave corporations a green light to secretly funnel in as much money as they want to elect candidates. The justices in their supreme wisdom have once again privileged corporations over citizens. The results have been dramatic. Even with a weak economy a record amount of cash has flooded political campaigns. Although corporations are not mentioned anywhere in the Constitution or Bill of Rights a series of legal decisions have given them the rights of personhood and free speech. Focusing on limiting or even stopping corporate harms is an inadequate response to a fundamental problem. And that is corporations rule and not the people. Citizens are marginalized and are left with Coke and Pepsi choices.
Paul Cienfuegos is a community organizer and activist. He co-founded Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt County in Northern California, an organization which works to dismantle corporate rule. He lectures and leads workshops on this topic.