February 2, 2013
Dear Members of the Securities and Exchange Commission:
It's long past time to end secret political spending by corporations. This is one of the many ways that money is/ruined our representative democracy.
I, and other Americans now feel that contributing money to issue PACs and SUPERPACs is the only way we have to combat corporate lobbying and other spending to influence our legislators and regulators.
I AM THE MOST MODERATE OF MIDDLE CLASS AMERICANS. IF I AM FEELING THAT THE ONLY WAY TO INFLUENCE LEGISLATORS IS TO COUNTER-BRIBE THEM OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE IS IN A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS.
So I strongly support the SEC issuing a rule in the near future that would require publicly traded corporations to publicly disclose all their spending on political activities.
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.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Marion VISEL