February 02, 2013
Dear Members of the Securities and Exchange Commission:
It's long past time to end secret political spending by corporations, especially if we are told by the Supreme Court to consider corporations as citizens. If so, then as citizens, they are subject to the laws that all citizens are subject to and as such, cannot keep large political spending a secret.
Hence, we strongly support the SEC issuing a rule as soon as possible that requires publicly traded corporations to disclose publicly all their spending on political activities. It is the right action to take.
Both shareholders and the public deserve to know how much a given corporation spends on politics (directly and through intermediaries), and which candidates are being promoted or attacked. If public recognition of their tactics as well as their spending behavior is made known/public, perhaps these corporations will begin to act more human, which means with respect and consideration, and cease this junior high/middle/high school way of secretly chatting about people behind the scenes, with the intention of causing injury to another person's character. To cause injury to one's character is libelous in the USA. Furthermore, such jejune behavior opens up the gates that make it easier for other types of injurious actions to occur. Further, it makes it easier for rudeness to become acceptable--the kind of rudeness demonstrated in Congress, for example. It is unacceptable for any corporation that represents people to act rudely, to hide its actions/activities with its money with impugnity. Hold them responsible for their actions.
Thank you for seriously considering our comment.
Sincerely,
bob and linda reilly