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: [log in to unmask] (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