More on the issue of "rights" of corporations.--TM
Subj: Re: [GWTF] Fw: Pennsylvania Borough Strips Sludge Corporati ons of
“Rights”
Date: 10/23/2006 8:18:54 PM Central Standard Time
From: [log in to unmask] (Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club)
Sender: [log in to unmask] (Global Warming/Clean
Energy Task Force)
Reply-to: <A HREF="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]</A> (Global Warming/Clean
Energy Task Force)
To: [log in to unmask]
from Jul/Aug. Santa Lucian
Humboldt’s Gift
County bans outside corporate involvement in elections
The most significant outcome of the June 6 election in California occurred in
Humboldt County, where the voters passed Measure T, an Ordinance to Protect
Our Right to Fair Elections and Local Democracy, prohibiting any non-local
corporation from contributing to any candidate campaign, referendum or recall in
county elections.
“Our hope was to ensure local control over our elections. We wanted to make
sure that elections – a vital part of democracy – happen fairly. We think that
the folks who live in this county should be the ones deciding who is elected
and we think that large corporations from outside our community should not
have the ability to dictate what happens in our local elections,” said Humboldt
Coarlition for Cass=843410602-24102006>ommunity Rights spokesperson Yvonne
Doble. “I was born and raised here and I want to preserve the way of life I grew
up with – the people who live here should determine our future.”
The ordinance also restricts corporations from claiming constitutional
rights. Corporations have been able to claim 1st Amendment protections when
contributing to political campaigns ever since the Supreme Court ruled that money was
equal to speech in the 1970s. “Only people should have rights – the idea that
corporations can claim rights is false and ridiculous,” said Nezzie Wade, a
College of the Redwoods professor and another member of the Humboldt Coalition
for Community Rights. “The issue is simple, who do we want deciding the future
of our county – the people who live here or outside corporations? We need to
protect our right to fair elections and local democracy.”
The ordinance came about due in part to a 2004 recall attempt of Humboldt
County District Attorney Paul Gallegos that was financed primarily by Maxxam
Corporation, which was feeling heat from the D.A. due to their rapacious and often
illegal logging of the Headwaters Forest.
“Some folks may have seen that issue as resolved,” said Doble, “but we were
concerned about the potential chilling effect the recall may have had on other
public officials. Will they think twice before enforcing the law against
other corporations? The reality is that large corporations have the money to bully
our elected representatives – Maxxam/Palco spent $250,000 to try to buy an
election.”
Larry Glass, a business owner in Eureka and Arcata was pleased to hear about
the ordinance, “I think this will go a long way to level the playing field.
Large corporations like Walmart have been forcing themselves on communities by
way of the initiative process – communities are helpless against their deep
pockets and so called ‘rights’ – this will really help protect our community and
will be good for the local businesses that are here.”
“This is something to truly celebrate,” said a representative of the
national Program on Corporations Law and Democracy (POCLAD). “It’s not one of those
‘sort-of’ victories, but a solid measure, presented to the public in a
campaign, and solidly approved. Congratulations to all involved in the campaign in
Humboldt County.”
Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt County, the authors of the Humboldt County
Ordinance to Protect Our Right to Fair Elections and Local Democracy, can be
reached at (707) 269-0984 or www.DUHC.org.
Andrew Christie
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