Why Corporations Have More Rights Than People | Robert Reich

How on earth did corporations come to have more rights than you? Watch this.

[@tommackay7433]

All of the rights and none of the responsibilities.

[@bobsacamano7653]

exactly

[@susanrigsby5508]

Or taxes!😤🤬

[@aaronjjacques]

Same for the press like cnn.

[@ronaldelliott4373]

Nailed it Tom. 🍻

[@alex.velasco]

@@aaronjjacques Nice try, Russian troll.

[@SaneSociety1]

If I steal from a company, it's a criminal matter. If a company steals from me, it's a civil matter.

[@scifirealism5943]

Yep.

[@raiden000]

Not necessarily, you can hire a contractor to install a deck on your house and if they aren't savvy enough to require you to pay upfront for it you can just not pay them, the worst they can do is sue you, a civil matter. Trump did this to a lot of mom and pop construction companies out of NJ who built his trump towers in NYC, never paid them, and never went to jail.

[@scifirealism5943]

@@raiden000 that's messed up

[@Kieranpokemonsisliterallyme]

Another thing you forgot to mention. People pay taxes But corporations evade them.

[@KevinThomas-ok2ev]

If you think people don’t, ask Hunter Biden.

[@spinalcracker1942]

...and give plenty of that money to the said problem.

[@Jason608]

"I didn't bribe the police officer! I just spoke to him with $100 bills!" This is why money should not enjoy the same protections as free speech.

[@FarmerBrutus]

Nice example!

[@Metalbass10000]

Just as I cannot buy food for my family or myself with pleasant words, or by asking nicely.

[@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane]

Great point!!

[@alanhyt79]

If corporations are people, then owning a corporation violates our anti-slavery laws.

[@Shawn-gr5ww]

Where are people not getting paid?

[@estherthorp1608]

Bingo

[@alanhyt79]

@@Shawn-gr5ww Getting paid? If corporations are people (which they aren't) then owning one ... blah blah. Try to keep up.

[@Emc4421]

👏👏 love that you twisted the logic right back at these people. I always sAy law is just the ability to bend logic any way you want

[@ericbartol]

Absolutely. Shareholders in any corporation that is treated as a person are ignoring the corporations autonomy by using its money for their own goals. The corporation, which consists of thousands to millions of workers, must be allowed free will. This means that every cell of its being must be allowed to voice its opinion.

[@T.C.-st8uz]

This is one of the worst things that has ever happened in America. "Citizens" United

[@erock736]

Amen!!

[@doomsdayrabbit4398]

It was the name of the organization that sued.

[@alex.velasco]

@@doomsdayrabbit4398 a fake grass roots organisation, a front for corporations.

[@kewltony]

The FEC went in front of the supreme court and said they could burn books if they wanted. That's why the law was overturned. Learn a little bit about something before having strong opinions about it

[@doomsdayrabbit4398]

@@kewltony Yeah, and the Constitution says nothing about the Supreme Court even having the power to overturn laws, technically. That's all based on precedent.

[@voidstarq]

The problem isn't even just that corporations have "Personhood", it's that they have "PlatinumPlus Preferred™ Personhood".

[@judylee1860]

Except the problem is they are a person. After that, there comes the status of corporate privilege. How can a crony understand the difference? They cannot.

[@danielchristiansen594]

While we're at it, let's get money out of the Supreme Court too.

[@toowiseforyou]

Corporations are OWNED property. OWN is a legal term with a legal definition which precludes ALL rights. This is not just corruption, it is BLATANT corruption.

[@DaleHartley]

Great point, but hey when you have a right wing scotus, the law does not matter....just their feelings.

[@steveallen3434]

yes it is corruption ,but legalised

[@dawnoceanside7300]

Silence for 12 long YEARS IS COMPLICITY 🤬

[@earthstara2408]

…and the Supreme Court is owned…

[@FarmerBrutus]

That is an excellent point! Wow! I'm using that from now on! Thank you!

[@jannhebrank]

I dont see anything in the constitution which gives monopolies rights. I think we need to regress to where companies are not allowed to interfere with our elections as a corporation

[@Jormungrandrserpent]

They should require the Supreme Court to use direct references from the Constitution to prove any statements of Constitutionality or Unconstitutionality being true. If they don't include references or simply can't prove it, its straight false and invalid ruling.

[@FarmerBrutus]

@@Jormungrandrserpent The Antifederalist Brutus argued that the Supreme Court needed to be overseen by a Tribune, lodged in the House of Representatives... see what they did there with Citizen's United?

[@josephg160]

Getting big money from politics will be a real game-changer for our democracy. It ensures we have candidates who work for the people and not have corporations corrupt our democracy.

[@occamraiser]

Buying politicians has NEVER been defensible - yet has ALWAYS been the American Way.......but exactly why?

[@BPTK162]

No no, Game Changer is Robert’s son, Sam. …sorry, had to make the joke. But you’re 100% right

[@roberthanks1636]

Unfortunately there is a large stakeholder group of political consultants, commentators, strategists and pollsters in both parties who rely on donations from giant corporations to pay for their salaries. Campaign finance reform will have to overcome considerable opposition from these people who are embedded within the current system.

[@bcshelby4926]

...it will require a major progressive shift in the (D) party as many of the party neoliberals are also on the corporate donor lists. All three of those rulings mentioned need to be overturned and the Sherman Antitrust Act given teeth again.

[@VulcanLogic]

It won't make as big a difference as you think. Instead of buying off politicians, they can just buy off the conservative media, most of which they actually own. And it's not just Fox and Newsmax. They own a LOT of local TV stations. Local news loves to churn out stories like "homeless encampments", "crime on the rise", and "restaurants closing due to high wages" (while they still post 20% margins and are more profitable than literally ever).

[@nicholaslane8332]

Wage theft is a larger problem than shoplifting ever has been

[@youtubesucks1499]

How are your wages being stolen?

[@djpointer2525]

Exactly. People wouldn't have to steal if they could buy things legally with no problem.

[@youtubesucks1499]

@@djpointer2525 They can buy things legally, they choose not to. If stealing $700 worth of merchandise is a misdemeanor... why pay?

[@nicholaslane8332]

@@youtubesucks1499 being payed under minimum wage, not being payed full over time, taking away tips, unfair working hours and many others, it's a genuine issue and I implore everyone to look into it

[@nicholaslane8332]

@@youtubesucks1499 no they steal it because they literally cant afford it, im not condoning it, just saying there's a reason crime rates fall when people can afford things. Also the vast majority aren't shoplifting 700 dollar merchandise from luxury stores, they're stealing food so they don't starve

[@BigDaddy-fq5mu]

You can actually thank Mitch McConnell and the GOP Mafia for this!!

[@dueydrew7172]

What have Democrats done to fight Corporate power? Pelosi and Biden controlled the Federal Government for two years. I didn’t see any Legislation from them. Pelosi has a made fortune in the stock market investing in CORPORATIONS.

[@bobsacamano7653]

No it goes back to a corrupt nineteenth century supreme court judge

[@dueydrew7172]

I’m no fan of McConnell, but I don’t see the Biden and the Democrats taking on Corporate America. They controlled Congress for two years and all they did was spend borrowed money and go after Donald Trump. Pelosi has made a fortune in the Stock Market investing in Corporations.

[@texasrefugee7888]

The Busch family

[@dawnoceanside7300]

NOPE! Dem constituents sat on the COMFY COUCH in 2010, 2012, and 2014 vs giving President Obama had a MAJORITY!! Betting 2016 would have been different 😜

[@Rwhalt]

Ah, so we ARE a socialist nation… for corporations.

[@bobdickie4896]

Yes, socialism for corporations, and crony capitalism for the rest of us

[@judylee1860]

No we are in a tyrannical, fascist society as slaves of the Board of Directors & their attorneys.

[@michaelsiniscal9937]

No, we are an oligarchy run by the mega wealthy who own the corporations that are represented by their lapdogs in the Supreme Court and congress.

[@ryankuhlman7348]

Not really. More like a communism.

[@drago6568]

We have no power, Money drives everything. If you want change then get money otherwise our words are useless

[@texasrefugee7888]

"Fascism is the merger of corporations and the State." Mussolini

[@mandycollette5150]

Never heard a truer statement!!! Hats off my friend!!!

[@CatrinaDaimonLee]

there are a number of asian countries close to that already

[@deanronson6331]

​@@mandycollette5150 So many quotes on the Net are copied and reiterated with an initial wrong attribution, and then they acquire a life of their own. Therefore, I'm taking your use of it with a grain of salt. I searched for it online but was unable to find a conclusive proof that the author was Mussolini and on what occasion he said it.

[@mandycollette5150]

@@deanronson6331 I'm not the one that used said quote in this thread, I just showed my enthusiasm for said quote because it rings true! So in light of you inserting your intelligence, I must commend you for not paying close attention to the thread! Congratulations, you're acting like most opinionated folks!!! I will also add that opinions matter not,when truth is the subject at hand!So enjoy that grain of salt!!! Just saying!!! ✌️💜😁

[@texasrefugee7888]

Search harder​@@deanronson6331

[@joehealy6376]

If corporations are people. The congress and senate should pass The corporation choice act. If a corporation uses their right as a person for free speech they give up the rights as limited liability.

[@Jess-TheMess]

People won't wake up!!! 😔 How many times do we have to bring this to the attention of people, just for them to do nothing? I'm so tired of our system

[@cmack17]

You can help by stopping your doomer speak. If this is all you can do, be quiet.

[@Jess-TheMess]

@@cmack17 oh I'm sorry I get outraged by this shit. Freedom of speech is for everyone not just for those who say what you wanna hear, grow up

[@jannhebrank]

call write and email to the justices and to your senators and to your representatives ,,,both state and federal and email often. If no one says anything they dont pay attention

[@matthewcaldwell8100]

It's been a century at least. This is why being concerned about media literacy and education was important BEFORE it was an emergency.

[@jopinscott1777]

Worse yet, is when people defend the very perpetrators who are emptying their pockets.🤦‍♂️

[@noheroespublishing1907]

The US Constitution must be Amended, the Separation of Wealth and State is necessary to protect Democracy.

[@nadominhoca]

Democracy is an illusion that the vast majority of functional imbeciles believes is real...

[@ohiasdxfcghbljokasdjhnfvaw4ehr]

that is a great way to put it, and would be a great addition to the constitution

[@ilkhgs]

#ReverseCtizensUnited

[@insidejazzguitar8112]

I love it: separation of wealth and state!

[@jeremiahchamberlin4499]

The problem isn’t the US Constitution, the problem is the people (on the Supreme Court) who are interpreting it -incorrectly.

[@carolyn7691]

The former gov of Texas, Ann Richards said "I'll believe a corporation is a person when they hang one".

[@leobigelow7021]

Ann Richards was a party clown in a dress. If she was male, there's no way in hell she would have been elected to anything, ever.

[@aycc-nbh7289]

If corporations aren’t people, then they can’t be taxed.

[@BDot-dv7lq]

End CITIZENS UNITED NOW!!!!!

[@kewltony]

What was citizens united trying to show to the public?

[@ericdaniel323]

All we have to do is pass a constitutional amendment. Easy-peasy!

[@doneaton6704]

Thanks for getting all our blood pressure up this morning Robert. This is a big one for me too. We really need to revamp the Supreme Court so it is actually representative of our Constitution.

[@dueydrew7172]

What do you revamp the Supreme Court?

[@FarmerBrutus]

@@dueydrew7172 Eliminate Citizen's United at the level of the House of Representatives and then institute a Tribune in the House that oversees the decisions of the Supreme Court. If those decisions are B.S. or undermine our Republican form of government in any way, they can be rejected.

[@itsajahthing]

Yeah, it'z suppoze to be....Tzzzp behind that?

[@AG-sc6pm]

I wish you were in our administration, we need people like you more than anything! Thank you for always speaking out. Wish there were more people hearing you.

[@silverwing5254]

Same here.. Instead we had a moron who doesn't even understand how money nor government lending works.. X(

[@VeganWithAraygun]

In England, King Henry the Seventh banned private armies but in America the SCOTUS essentially made the equivalent financial muscle and power legally available with that so called "citizens" united.

[@matthewgagnon9426]

If money is speech then the poor are being oppressed by living in poverty.

[@Stoicisbetter]

🎯 💯

[@ericcarlson6822]

We need an amendment that says corporations aren't people.

[@aycc-nbh7289]

But then this may cut off the government’s ability to get taxes from them.

[@schadjam]

Thank you! This is one of your best videos. It is ironic that conservative justices who CLAIM to interpret the constitution in line with the times and mindset of the original framers, would equate citizenship with corporations, ie. the 14th amendment

[@FarmerBrutus]

BTW To be a citizen of the United States, you must be BORN or Naturalized first. Which one are corporations?

[@donaldsmith1415]

Robert Reich is absolutely right!!!!!!!

[@2cartalkers]

Corporations commit crimes and yet that entity and their CEO's escape punishment.

[@player627]

Not true. Ask Skilling, Ebbers and Kozlowski just to name a few.

[@2cartalkers]

@@player627 That is managing the exception. most get off Scott free. Boeing CEO, the past CEO of Enron and zillions of others.

[@player627]

@@2cartalkers Skilling was the Enron CEO and served 12 years in prison. DOJ is still considering criminal charges against Boeing. Zillions huh. Name some more please.

[@2cartalkers]

@@player627 Sorry, i meany MegaZillions. Don't DEFEND THEM!

[@Clippidyclappidy]

@@player627​​⁠Boeing along with literally any US military contractor or weapons manufacturer, Pinkertons, Chiquita still runs corporate death squads in South America. The U.S. literally helped corporations invade South American countries all throughout the 20th century and continues to try to do so til this day. Literally any pharmaceutical corporation. The list goes on and on.

[@luvnotvideos]

I've said it often, and it bears repeating - Every candidate should be given a fixed dollar amount for their campaign. If they cannot get their message across with this budget, then they are not up to the task of being a politician. Any candidate who can work on equal footing with their opponent, can speak eloquently enough to get their message across, can hire effective staff, and use their budget wisely is demonstrating everything a representative of the people will need as their duly elected official.

[@elainedolan9887]

Bravo...thank you for tackling this for regular folks to understand. Gut Citizens United!

[@Rhythmicons]

The sad part is that the Framers were generally opposed to corporations because of the looming power of generational wealth.

[@FarmerBrutus]

The Framers were also very serious about retaining the voice of the people in the House of Representatives, as regards issues of import to us, the people. There is also much discussion regarding barriers to factions and combinations, which it is crucial to repress. In the House, the strategy was that the large number of issues would align against faction having any influence, but in a two party system, this structure is immediately undermined.

[@Rhythmicons]

@@FarmerBrutus Elkins & McKitrick, in their Hamiltonian tome on the 1790s, noted that one of the reasons that Jefferson, Hamilton, and Madison pushed for the Constitution was to quell the abuses that were occurring in State Houses with regard to Revolutionary War Debts. They saw the kinds of yokels that were empowering themselves there and made the Senate the "upper chamber" with far more important duties. It baffles me to think that the shenanigans that are occurring in the House these days are done by people who venerate the Framers and patriotism the way that they do. Likewise, with what you were mentioning about factionalism, it's completely ridiculous how a state with 120,000 people like Wyoming or South Dakota has a disproportionate amount of power compared to a state like California with millions of people.

[@FarmerBrutus]

@@Rhythmicons The Senate is supposed to regulate economic and administrative activities at the National level, from the perspective of their own State. The House brings the Peoples of the States' perspectives to the Federal level. The representation in the House is proportional to the population of the State, it is supposed to have EQUAL power to the Senate and the Executive, rendering the power of the people proportional. Every State must be equally represented as a State, just as Nations must have equal representation in International bodies, which is why we all have two Senators. The corruption in the State Houses under the Articles of Confederation, is why the Framers wrote the Constitution that we are supposed to have. Have a gander in John Adams' "Defense of the Constitutions of the Governments of the United States" for a deeper understanding of a balanced government. "That the strong will oppress the weak is proven on every page of the history of the whole world" John Adams

[@Rhythmicons]

@@FarmerBrutus Atkins, Jonathan M. From Confederation to Nation: The Early American Republic, 1789-1848. New York: Routledge, 2016. Elkins, Stanley and Eric McKitrick. The Age of Federalism: The Early American Republic, 1788-1800. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. Howe, David Walker. What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. Johnson, Paul E. The Early American Republic: 1789-1829. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. Meier, Pauline. Ratification: The People Debate the Constitution, 1787-1788. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010. Watson, Henry L. Liberty and Power: The Politics of Jacksonian America. New York: Hill and Wang, 1990. Wood, Gordon S. Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early American Republic, 1789-1815. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

[@FarmerBrutus]

@@Rhythmicons I wrote most of these titles down. I may take a gander at some of these opinions (the first one likely). What I have discovered over the years is that the best way to understand an institution, or an idea, is to read what it's founders intended. We can never really know the motives behind why someone wrote about it much later in time. John Adams' "Defense" was a timely and influential work that informed the Framers. A more incisive work is "Documents of Revolution", which contains the Federalist and the Antifederalist papers. There we can read what was being argued for and criticized, both, by individuals who cared about the final outcome. Remember, without the Antifederalists, we wouldn't even have had a Bill of Rights.

[@joejohnson489]

The supreme court strikes again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@hugh261]

Is it the supreme court, or the bad (for democracy) apples in it?

[@bobsacamano7653]

@@hugh261 corrupt judge on the supreme court allowed this to happen in a case that dates back to the 19th century

[@longlakeshore]

Bravo Robert! And let's not forget the 1886 decision in which SCOTUS extended the Equal Protection Clause in the 14 Amendment (meant to protect former slaves) to corporations as persons. Santa Clara County v Southern Pacific Railroad. Did we really fight the Civil War for nothing? Did 620,000 Americans die in that conflict for nothing? Just to consolidate corporate power over government? What kind of nation do we want to be?

[@Siskos-pn7nd]

Thom Hartman introduced me to the Santa Clara vs Southern Pacific law suit that started the move toward Corporate personhood in the 1890s (i am guessing, my memory is fading). For over 100 years, America has been sliding toward facism. A Republican mantra has been "the business of government is business." Democrats have fallen in line and give out tax credits as legal bribery. You fund my election and I will earmark tax credits for your Corporate project. I am 78yo and will never see the day when America wrestles control over the Corporations, maybe none of us will, since they control our government, all branches of government and yet pay for none of the expenses.

[@longlakeshore]

@@Siskos-pn7nd Agreed but at least we get some progressive social, economic, environmental and labor legislation with the Democrats vs the regressive Republicans. R for Republican? More like R for Regressive.

[@aycc-nbh7289]

Would you rather have corporations not be taxed?

[@longlakeshore]

@@aycc-nbh7289 As persons corporations do not pay personal income taxes.

[@aycc-nbh7289]

@@longlakeshoreThey do have corporate income tax, which they wouldn’t have to pay if they weren’t people.

[@KensaiProductions]

We also need term limits for the House and Senate and end lifetime appointments for all Federal Judicial Appointments. 10 years Max,

[@Pocketfarmer1]

We need a constitutional convention to create several corrective amendments.

[@daviddavid5880]

Corporations are people... Immortal people that can't be punched or get sick or be arrested....

[@Rustea314]

Serve in the military, be drafted, sit on jury, be falsely arrested and spend time in prison. But as a real person, you can buy a stock in a prison corporation that will spend the profits buying a congress and their own shares. It's great when people work together but not in government. SORRY.🙄

[@elenaaltamar2055]

We'd literally have to pry corporate money from politician's greedy little fingers. They'll never choose to let go, not even the dems. Why would any of them give up power and wealth? Their sick with it. I'd say voting is our only hope but, with all the gerrymandering, not even sure we're gonna have that ability for much longer. I'll for sure continue to vote my conscience but, late stage capitalism makes this all feel incredibly hopeless.

[@carolstanton5113]

Who to vote for?

[@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane]

At least if we vote democrat, they have a history of taxing corporations higher (but not *small* businesses), and more of those tax dollars go to services for PEOPLE.

[@scifirealism5943]

Poor people can't afford to run for office

[@warrenallsopp]

The power of the corporations is there to ensure that the caste system in the United States remains in place.

[@aycc-nbh7289]

When has it been illegal to even talk to members of different castes?

[@sherlockholmes6990]

Something has to be done about corporate lobbying in Congress too!

[@johnwalsh1774]

Thank you Robert for continuing to educate me in the failures of our democracy. Hopefully we get it back under control of the People.

[@jackcarraway4707]

Overturning Citizens United alone would solve a LOT of the country's problems.

[@kewltony]

What part of the FEC's argument did you find convincing?

[@abcdefghijklabcdefghijkl]

Only people can be persons. Remove corporations from having person's rights.

[@Verschal]

Robert, i'll take: "What is corruption?" for five hundred buy back stocks.

[@terrancekayton007]

Corruption.

[@LadyElaineification]

Since SCOTUS created the concept of corporate person hood, we should be able to tax them at the individual tax rates...

[@herstoryswitness]

We can thank the Republicans for this gem.

[@me-myself-i787]

Someone once published a book criticising Justin Trudeau. He was arrested for creating an unregistered political ad. We can't let this happen in America.

[@epicarcher999]

What? Dude, nobody was ever arrested, it was a fine. Actually Canada has a ban on third-party political ads to PREVENT corporations meddling in our elections, which Rebel News violated by putting up political lawn signs right before a federal election. This is such a disingenuous comment, lol

[@redfoxninja3173]

When companies became "people" employees stopped being treated as human!

[@mikem5113]

Humans are just “resources”, expendable and replaceable, by the anthropomorphic corporations. That’s why the department dealing with employees is called Human Resources (HR).

[@rabidbigdog]

"Corporations are people" was the beginning of the end for the American experiment.

[@billnye69]

"You think you have choice, you have no choice. You have owners." - George Carlin

[@daishi15]

It Is We the people not we the corporations

[@luisdavidllense2293]

This is an important lesson, and everyone should pay attention. Thank you, Professor Reich!

[@judgekonnan]

I sincerely believe this is the most important step to change. Corporations are obviously not persons.

[@jesternotclown]

Why are internationally owned entities allowed to contribute to American political politics? Who gives any of these “people” citizenship?

[@sharlarae9719]

And every year they are given massive multi million dollar subsidies. WHY? I thought subsidies were for regular citizens to help them create new businesses not billion dollar corporations to squander on CEO saleries and stockholders 😡🤬‼️‼️‼️‼️

[@busterbrown446]

What we really need is people that care about these things.

[@joedake5466]

People fight and die in wars. Corporations profit from war.

[@ShawnHCorey]

The principles of a corporation, that is the executive officers, the board of directors, and the voting shareholders should be held personally responsible for any breaking of the law or violation of regulations. These people decide what the corporation does. They are the ones responsible. Corporations do have limited liabilities, for the normal course of business. Breaking the law and violating regulations is NOT normal course of business. When people are held accountable for their acts, then there will be justice.

[@akiranara6404]

One could argue that they shouldn't be held accountable for issues only present in a single location, like a factory whose manager is pushing their workers way too hard without approval. However, if there's a systemic issue present across the whole corporation, the higher-ups you mention should definitely be held accountable.

[@josebasso416]

The right to petition of the first amendment cannot be mean that the one with more money to lobby has more rights than the average population. Your rights end where my begins, and my rights end where yours begins. What we have now is legalized corruption, and that is the root of why the health care system is broken and so many other problem we face in the U.S.

[@brettbosley779]

With all the focus on fascism, vital as it is, the parallel threat of state capture is ignored at our peril. The notion that corporations are people is ridiculous on its face, and frankly, anyone operating under it needs to have their head (and bank account) examined.

[@w41duvernay]

THAT explanation of corps are people is one of the biggest horse hockey EVER.

[@deborahmillette]

We tried fighting this law over 30 yrs ago and here we are

[@rubberdog8763]

Hooray Bob! Thank you so much for clarifying and bringing this out. I hope that it will be watched by millions.!!!!!👍🏼

[@gloriagruca8290]

Thank you Robert Reich!! So intelligent and wise.

[@Marqan]

If you stop corporation from funding politics, then you can increase the taxes on them. Double-win for voters.

[@Mk101T]

I was asking my cable company the other day why my rates always get hiked ? They said ... Talk to your congressman , Cuz bribing the gubberment aint cheap ,,, Don't cha know ?!?

[@rickfry6031]

I thank the Luckiest of Stars we have thinkers like Secretary Reich who can lay it out so clearly how we got here with case law and logic.

[@here-right-here]

This is why we're not a democracy any more. When corporations have more representation than individuals, then we are a corpocracy - obviously, since gozillionaires own these corporations, we also have oligarchy.

[@GoodBeat101]

I hope we do get corporations out of politics. But it would probably take a supermajority by the dems.

[@thjbird]

“Democrats care about people. Republicans care about money” - Bette Davis

[@760mom]

😂

[@timothylopez8572]

Tell Republicans a bunch of ranchers and farmers would benefit from vote by mail. Can't just pick up and go to town, if that day is election day, they can't vote.

[@greybeard5123]

Nebraska Republican politicians already know that. They used to brag about how allowing mail in voting in Nebraska really increased Republican voting and made the state even redder. And then Trump created the big lie about 2020 and they are screwed. They can't say mail in voting is safe, because then Trump would attack them and they wouldn't get reelected. They also can't say mail in voting isn't safe, because then the only voters in their district would be the liberals in the village and they wouldn't get reelected. So they try real hard to change the subject when it comes up, almost as if their jobs depended on it.

[@Shawn-gr5ww]

You know exactly when the polls open. The Tuesday after the first Monday of November. If you can’t plan your day well in advance to make time to go vote then you shouldn’t vote

[@rpfs2691]

Given the fact that the "conservatives" don't want to conserve, I'd say the phrase is a misnomer. Robber barons and lackeys would be a better phrase.

[@JohnBatcheller]

Corporations also enjoy a huge tax advantage. Corporations are taxed on their profit while people are taxed on their revenue. The people must demand equality in taxation as long as corporations are considered a "person."

[@bane3991]

The top 10 percent pay 75 percent of the taxes in this country.

[@Apoxonbothyourhouses]

Citizens United was the beginning of the end of our Republic.😢

[@ToddHurney]

No...Ronald Reagan was the beginning of the end our democratic republic. We are still paying for his ill-advised policies and reformations! He laid the foundation for all of this!

[@tw8464]

Thank you Robert. You're absolutely right. Please everyone share this video and get your good friends to vote!.

[@yobop6072]

.... doesn't that give corporations more than one vote, through bribery?.... RICO....

[@frederickwelham3829]

SCOTUS: "Money is free speech. Corporations are welcome to come and talk to us anytime".

[@jpr1370]

SCOTUS ruling to give human rights to a business is nakedly stupid. then same SCOTUS restricts women rights. That is Soviet Style Rot in the USA. Conservatives always are - the weakest link.

[@MrMarinus18]

It's not the only parallel either, in the Soviet-Union it became more and more restrictive on what was "communist" enough to pass. Stalin had already severely restricted it after he crushed the NEP and they just continued to do that until the definition of "communism" became so narrow almost no pragmatism was possible anymore. When Gorbachov actually tried to enact reform to cut military spending, build up light industry, create government markets, open up trade to capitalist countries and other things (None of which included privitization, it was government markets, not private ones) the conservatives in the Soviet Union rebelled and staged a military coup. They found a blustering idiot named Boris Yeltsin who became their puppet and made Russia independent. There is this narrative of economic collapse in the Soviet-Union but that happened as a result of it's collapse, it wasn't the cause of it. The cause was the military coup against Gorbachov by Soviet conservatives. Most of the big players of the coup actually got off really well and several are the Russian oligarchy we see today or their children are.

[@MrMarinus18]

The US is falling into the same problem where it becomes more and more extreme. Where any notion away from "freedom" is instantly struck down no matter how necessary it is and anything that involves "They now have the right to" is approved no matter how bad an idea it is. The veneration of "freedom" has become more important than the actual reality of the world.

[@Siskos-pn7nd]

Glad you posted this. Corporations are the biggest threat to American democracy. In July, the IRS issues it's Corporations Income tax report, for 2022 (a 2 to 3 year lag). For 10 years, I have analyzed these reports and found Corporations pay less than a penny (.008) in effective income taxes, compared to Individual income taxpayers who pay 12%. Corporations pay a mere pittance of about $250 billion. Individuals pay about $1.5 Trillion. Spending is much higher so we borrow the rest and guess who pays the higher debt? Individuals. Corporations freeload off the 167 million Individual taxpayers because they buy the Congress who writes the income tax rules for their benefit. Both parties do this.

[@hopefullyhigh]

Too bad they don't have the right to go to jail

[@1Kent]

Good luck getting the corruptors to fight corruption.

[@beverlyness7954]

Thank you so much for all you do to help us fully understand how things got this way and what there is to do about it. Your information is so valuable!

[@owennovenski4794]

I’ve often brought to the attention of those who bother to pay attention the remarks of William O Douglas, retired Supreme Court judge when asked the best and worst decisions the court had made; The best he said was Civil Rights legislation The worst was something he said would eventually come back to haunt the democracy: giving the same rights of individuals to corporations.

[@salvatoreoddo-x9t]

you tube is not allowing me to give a like to your program.So, thumbs up Robert Reich.

[@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane]

That happens to me sometimes. I think it's when I've skipped too many commercials, but I can't say for certain.

[@russh6414]

If corporations have the same rights as people why don’t we start a movement so people can have the same rights as corporations.

[@bane3991]

Because the government is so powerful now. That won't be in their own self interest to give power back to us.

[@DancerGirl-24]

And those corporations "People" are treated with deference and held to a different standard than real "people." They pay less in taxes or no tax at all as compared to the middle class taxpayer. And they're given unnecessary tax cuts (that bust the deficit) with no strings attached - no requirement that they act honestly with their largesse, no string to clean up their pollution and businesses, or green them,. No string to raise the pay -- given they have billions in profits - of their lowest tier workers. No string to not buy back their own stocks. Mind you, they all enjoy the benefits that the middle class pays for.

[@Stoicisbetter]

They literally steal BILLIONS from the poorest of our society and they go unpunished. UHC is still stealing $ from the government and they are being given a pass. Call these companies out and make them pay amends for what they have stolen.

[@skunksville]

At one time, corporations in the US were limited in scope and time. They needed to define a purpose and define a time period to accomplish that. After the time limit, the corporation would be dissolved.

[@GondolaParadiso]

Corporations are not people. There is a constitutional defense for this. The Thirteenth Amendment. "Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation." Corporations are owned by shareholders. The shareholders receive profits earned by labor of the Corporation. If corporations are people then shareholders would be slave holders, since they own and derive profits from another person. Slavery was outlawed by... The Thirteenth Amendment. Set, match, done.

[@dumvivimus]

So much for “For the people by the people”

[@bretdaley6869]

F citizens united

[@michaelmanfred4008]

If corporations are people, then they should only have the lifespan of their first CEO.

[@rosecassie4304]

Thank you, Mr. Reich, for that intelligent history lesson in how the corruption present in American politics seems to be taking us back to the 1800s! It is unbearable to me the amount of lies and moral decline since the MAGA mob cult.😥

[@leobigelow7021]

Trump is leading in the polls. Following his ridiculous "conviction" he raised $50 million in 24 hours. Clearly, the people have absolutely had it with politics as usual, and the "cult", which consists of 70 million people, is going to elect him. I'd suggest you move to Russia, which seems like your kind of place.

[@eatmorenachos]

@@leobigelow7021 Trump loves Putin as the dictator that Trump wants to be. \ Putin sees Trump as a useful idiot. That's why Russia heeded Trump's calls to hack Hillary's emails in 2016.

[@unholyrevenger72]

I think the definition of a person is simple and clearly defined. 1. A person can be sent to prison. (Can't send a business to prison, thus disqualified from person hood) 2. A person can express what a prison is, in verbal or written communication. (You can send an animal to prison, but it cannot define what prison is.)

[@nadominhoca]

So, a baby is a person?!

[@woodenbat4054]

money is speech? so is speech my middle finger at the conservative justices.

[@andrewcampbell1129]

Much appreciated Dr Reich, how about simultaneously getting rid of the Electoral College System!!

[@Bobalicious]

Corporations may be 'people' but they're not necessarily Americans.

[@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane]

True!

[@Art-e2b]

Reagan lobbied the Supreme Court in 1986 to rule that corporations are people. He succeeded .

[@ToddHurney]

He was the beginning of the end for this country. I despised this man for his policies, his rhetoric and propaganda. Some very powerful people had dirt on this man and got him in office to do their bidding. And they duped an entire nation to sell out for money and power, while systematically gutting the institutions that helped keep us free as a democracy. History will not judge Ronnie well. If Mr. Reagan had a conscience, he didn't display it well for the American people.

[@judehylton9692]

This is outrageous....this is crooked with these SCROTUS disgusting tactics.

[@wjrasmussen666]

Corporations should go to jail by not being able to conduct any business for X amount of time. No moving of money, etc.

[@carleenmulloy481]

Love you Robert ❤️🙏⚖️

[@wbertalot9659]

If Corporations are people then does that mean that anybody that owns a company or owns stock in a company is in violation of the 13th Amendment and should be arrested and charged with slavery?