Todd Morman writes on 5.19.03 - Why have socialists cornered the market on criticism of corporate power? Why the hell aren't Libertarians - those champions of individual liberty - leading the charge against corporate personhood?
This is the same question my husband has raised. And it is a good question.
My response is that it seems Libertarians focus on ending corporate welfare and the government's role in business. I have to agree with Todd, this issue is not addressed by Libertarians as much as it should be. In the past, the LP News has had many articles in it about corporate welfare, and how it is wrong. The LP News has focused on the hypocritical way our government sheds light on corporate crimes while hiding government fraud. I have yet to see mention of corporate personhood in my few short years as a member.
In Guilford County, the Libertarian Party of Guilford County has supported the work of anti-FedEx groups, one reason being that FedEx is irresponsible.
In an ideal society, all people and corporations are responsible for what they do. Period. No ifs, ands, or buts. Unfortunately, people have always played favorites, and in the political spectrum justice can get screwed. I disagree with the way our laws give lesser punishment to those who commit white collar crime vs those who are charged with robbery. White colloar crime is a serious matter and has detrimental effects. In Sociology class this past semester this was one of the topics we discussed.
Government should not be exempt from the law. As I stated in my A+ Macroeconomics paper, the goverment needs to be held to the same standards as its citizens. Corporations should be held responsible as well, but it seems that the LP sees more abuse in government than in the corporate sector. This is my observation, not a fact.
We have seen a trend toward special favors to corporate giants in squelching competition, getting taxpayer money for a vague promise of new jobs, and too much influence on capital hill. Over the years the number of small businesses has decreased dramatically. I am not a fan of bureaucracy whether public or private. Innovation tends to stagnate, abuse of money and resources is more common, and individual employee contributions are less important.
To me, a "corporation" means a group. So how can a corporation be a person? The real trick is that if our government were real serious about making companies responsible, individuals themselves will need to be held responsible. But how can you tell who did what, who is protecting whom, and who knew or didn't know in a corporation. Sounds like a job for Mr./Ms. Detective.
There is no easy answer to any issue. The important thing is understanding all sides and the multi-levels of an issue. Issues are not one-dimentional. Libertarians, Greens, Centrists, Socialists, Conservatives and Liberals all see problems and offer solutions to those problems. Like world religions, there is a grain of truth in each one.
Here are a few other commentaries that don't talk about corporate personhood, but deal with other seemingly related issues.
Why Central Planning Doesn't Work by Mike Ruff
Working with the Greens by Sean Haugh
9:03:36 AM 
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