From: U.S.PIRG
March 6, 2012
Dear Securities and Exchange Commission,
Millions of dollars are flooding the airwaves for or against candidates, and much of that money is untraceable. Right now, a corporation could be sinking millions of dollars into a political campaign and the actual owners of the company, the shareholders, would have no idea.
Both shareholders and the public must be fully informed as to how much a corporation spends on politics and which candidates are being promoted or attacked.
I urge the Securities and Exchange Commission to issue a rule requiring publicly-traded corporations to disclose all their political spending and to do so before this coming election.
Please demonstrate that you represent all investors, not just the extraordinarily wealthy. If you fail to take this action, then "small" investors will see that it is pointless to invest their money in the market, since you do represent them at all. Ante up, show that you have principles, ethics, morals, and respect for all persons, not just those with all the money. It's about time you demonstrate that you represent all stockholders, not just a tiny minority. I for one am so tired of all the cheaters that it would be nice to see you take a Moral and Ethical stand that helps this country and ALL the people of this country.
Show us who you really are, by either requiring that corporations disclose this information, or by not - thus showing who the SEC really represents - come out of the closet so to speak!
I'll be quite interested in seeing your response to this petition.
Sincerely,
C.G. Shaffer