Corporate Persons Get Shout-Out From President Obama

In his State Of The Union address, Barack Obama recognized how the recent Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission has changed the political landscape.
In the wake of that change, the first "corporate person" to run for Congress, Murray Hill Inc., has announced its candidacy in Maryland's 8th Congressional District.

As Campaign Manager for Murray Hill for Congress, I will be updating Huffington Post readers with the latest from the campaign trail. In just the last 24 hours, our cause has received a tremendous boost--starting with the President.

In his speech, Obama said,

With all due deference to separation of powers, last week the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests -- including foreign corporations -- to spend without limit in our elections. I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by America's most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities. They should be decided by the American people. And I'd urge Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to correct some of these problems.

(To which U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel "Am I On Camera?" Alito said, "no no no.")

And constitutional scholar John Bonifaz says,

"While some may say it is absurd to think that a corporation would run for public office, the real fiction can be found in the Court's ruling treating corporations as persons under the First Amendment. It is time to restore the First Amendment to its original purpose: to protect people, not corporations."

Well, Mr. President and Mr. Bonifaz, bring it on!

Corporations are people too--with the same rights and privileges enjoyed by humans. The Supreme Court says so! The courts have devoted endless attention to the rights of the "unborn," but finally, they are recognizing the rights of the never born.

Murray Hill, Inc.'s run for Congress is, therefore, a milestone in the struggle for civil rights.

And the Murray Hill for Congress campaign is drawing support from all over. Our YouTube video is spreading through the Internet, our Facebook page brings in new Friends and Fans every hour, and Designated Human Eric Hensal appeared on the Thom Hartmann show as well as Russian TV. (How's that for a juxtaposition?)

And now, we're even selling mousepads. Our message?

Corporations are people too!

If you agree, leave comments below and join our campaign!

 

Follow William Klein on Twitter: www.twitter.com/William_Klein

Comments

[audadvnc]

03:20 PM on 02/05/2010

First thing to do is trademark "vote!".

[SirReal1]

01:09 AM on 02/01/2010

I love your campaign! I look forward to future segments such as "Murray Hill on the Campaign Trail" and "The candidate Hill vs. candidate X debates". Those should be great fun.

Any chance that you could publish a complete Murray Hill Biography and disclose Murray Hill's voting history. It would be very helpful to the average voter to see what party Murray Hill supported in the past. Maybe (he, she, it?) is not a true Democratic Party Member (oh the intrigue!) Also it would be "interesti­ng" to see what Murray Hills positions are on "relevant issues to voters" such as abortion, gay marriage, marital fidelity, and the like.

I heard a rumor that with the announceme­nt of Murray Hill's candidacy, there have been sightings of Murray Hill with a new, young, companion at some of the upscale D.C. clubs. Questionab­le moral standing? Hmmmmm...

[TJHOPE]

08:00 PM on 01/31/2010

I'm exploring the possibilit­ies for a constituti­onal ammendment that would expand the requiremen­ts for running for public office. In addition to age requiremen­ts, being a natural born citizen, I think all candidates should have to be able to take a leak. BTW, which public restroom would Murray Hill use?

[JCC1]

06:33 PM on 01/30/2010

William,

You guys are great! I've never missed a Federal Vote since I was 19 in 1972 and had almost decided to give up voting for good just this week due to the unpopular, but true, realizatio­n that my vote doesn't mean squat... until I read about your campaign.

Finally, the only principle left standing in the United States has a legitimate champion!

You got my VOTE!

[Bouncer 08]

04:38 PM on 01/29/2010

I'm so proud you have the guts to run! Perhaps you will initiate a groundswel­l of other corporatio­ns running for office. It's only just, as they pay the most taxes in this country and need to be part of the legislativ­e process! BRAVO!

[Gidster]

05:06 PM on 01/29/2010

Are you being serious, or just joining in the satire?

[William Klein]

05:19 PM on 01/29/2010

Thank you for your support! Yes, we do hope that other corporatio­ns will follow our lead. We're saying to Wal-Mart, A.I.G., Exxon and Pfizer, if not you, who? If not now, when?

Corporatio­ns are people too!

[michiganfan]

03:23 PM on 01/29/2010

Outstandin­g idea!!

Excellent way to prove the absurdity of the court's ruling.

[Ernesto Pichardo]

02:37 PM on 01/29/2010

This is MAGIC! This may be the most entertaini­ng way to prove a point in a while...

[Bumblepudding]

02:27 PM on 01/29/2010

Since we've decided to go ahead and integrate the government and the market, can we see about setting up some sort of vote exchange? I'd like to know what my vote is worth in strict dollar terms, by state and congressio­nal district. The common man wants to cash in, too!

[LA Crystal]

12:55 AM on 02/01/2010

I've just gotta love that one^!

[AddieFaye]

01:59 PM on 01/29/2010

Finally!! Someone's said it!! The whole corporatio­n as persons ruling was always meant to be used against everyday citizens and people...s­o when are we going to push for this law to be overturned­???

[SirReal1]

01:17 AM on 02/01/2010

It's not a law, it's simply a legal precedent that has been followed for over 100 years. In fact, the issue has NEVER been debated in a court of law.

Corporate personhood was "pronounce­d" in an opinion from a Supreme court decision on a case involving a railroad vs. a private citizen. The opinion, from the majority, claimed that Corporatio­ns were considered to have "rights", and from that a court clerk mis-filed the statement as being a ruling. Future rulings then deferred to that "ruling" in other cases, and the rest is history.

It is indeed time for this "mis-carri­age" of justice to be fully debated and considered by the courts. Many of this Countries ills could be remedied if the courts ruled against this falsehood.