April 28, 2012
Dear members of the Securities and Exchange Commission:
I am writing to urge the SEC to issue a rule requiring publicly traded corporations to publicly disclose all their political spending.
Both shareholders and the public must be fully informed as to how much the corporation spends on politics and which candidates are being promoted or attacked. Disclosures should be posted promptly on the SEC's web site.
If corporations are to be granted the privileges of individual citizenship, they must also assume the responsibilities. The public nature of free speech is what keeps it fair and accurate. The source and nature of political influence must always be public in order to protect actual voters form the imbalance of power that large amounts of money create. If corporations with their greater resources are allowed to have a louder voice in the process, then voters have a right and a need to know the direction from which the voice comes, in order to decide with free and informed minds. And I absolutely must know if I am supporting a political agenda I do not agree with when I purchase something from a retail corporation.
Simply put, I the individual voter or stockholder needs a fair chance. Information is the only way to provide that fair chance.
Thank you for considering my comment.
Sincerely,
Annette Heiberg