"Robert Reich, public policy professor at Berkeley and former secretary of labor, makes a good point (that had never occurred to me) in a substack post. He points out that corporations are creatures of the states, not the federal government. Corporations are legal entities that have extensive rights, including the right to do business, to hire and fire people, to donate money ... many of the things human beings can do."
"By creating a corporation, business people can avoid personal liability for a wide range of actions. But those rights are entirely the purview of the state that grants the corporate license-and, Reich says, states can place any restrictions they want on those licenses. For example, they could withhold the right to make political contributions. A measure to do that is headed for the 2026 ballot in Montana."
Almost everyone who claims to care about democracy agrees that Citizens United was a terrible decision and that getting big corporate money out of politics must be a priority. Many politicians claim helplessness because the Supreme Court has ruled. Corporations are creatures of state law, not the federal government. States grant corporate licenses and determine the rights those entities possess. States can therefore place any restrictions on corporate charters, including withholding the power to make political contributions. One state already declines to grant certain foundations the power to spend in elections. A 2026 Montana ballot measure would test withholding contribution power from corporations doing business in the state.
Read at 48 hills
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