Corporations affect elections already
Keith Obermann, Sean Hannity, Chris Mathews, Bill O'Reilly, Wolf Blitzer, Maureen Dowd, Clarence Page, David Brooks, Charles Krauthammer and Eugene Robinson, et al, share a common trait. They work, opine, trying to shape public opinion for corporations.
I mention these opinion shapers, as opposed to hard-nosed news reporters, as individuals who have a large megaphone - the public airwaves and newsprint - to make their opinions known to citizens of this country.
News Corporation (Fox News/Wall Street Journal); General Electric (NBC/CNBC/MSNBC); Disney (ABC) are the most significant corporations that just happen to own media outlets.
How are these corporate entities different from Exxon, IBM, Intel or any other non-media-owning corporations?
One could argue the media-owning corporations have a significant leg up on those that do not own media outlets.
How is free speech wrong for Exxon but OK for the News Corporation or Disney? Should we prevent all free speech for all corporations during an election cycle?
Honest news reporting, without analysis, should be the only "speech" allowed. All opinion-makers should be banned during elections if corporations are to be treated fairly.
No political analysis/opinion should be allowed if all corporations are to be treated equally when it comes to "free speech" during elections.
Steve Sarich
Grayslake