April 2, 2014
SEC
I am deeply concerned about the influence of corporate money on our electoral process.
In particular, I am appalled that, because of the Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, publicly traded corporations can spend investors' money in secret.
I am writing to urge the Securities and Exchange Commission 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.
I would also add to the text above that very very soon, we will no longer be writing petitions. We will shortly give up on social campaigns. We will tire of screaming at the walls of the golden city.
When that happens, we will begin raining fire upon your heads. Your servants will kill your children in the night. Your gardeners will poison your water. We will rise up against you. It will happen if the country continues on this path, if corporations are given more and more rights and considered as important as people.
The rich will die. It happens to every civilization. If we have to dismantle it to effect change, we will. Instead of screaming at the wall, we will be shooting at it. Difference being, you'll be in front of it.
Thank you for considering my comment.
Sincerely,
Ian Smith