What Is A Corporation?

For many years I thought we knew. There were years and years of cases to look at that told us that they were "it’s" and not people. But, now we have Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, which found that the "it’s" have a right to freedom of speech. Yet, another example that this Supreme Court may be looking at things differently.

I remember learning in law school the differences of how you couldn’t put a corporation into jail and that they weren’t living and breathing things so they were a separate creation that needed a different set of laws. That they could create layers of protection that kept board members from being personally liable for debts or responsibility.

So what do we have now? What other things can these living bodies now be allowed to do? It was interesting that a couple of companies in Minnesota got married this week. It was actually a protest to the ruling. But, an example of what this ruling might possibly mean.

It will take a little time to let things settle in, but this ruling means more than the ability for corporations to write direct checks to political campaigns. Will it mean the possibility of imposing more responsibility? Might we figure out a way to put the whole corporation in prison when they injure and kill enough consumers?