February 2, 2013
Dear Members of the Securities and Exchange Commission:
When I make an admittedly small contribution to a politician, a campaign, or a charity, it's duly noted. I have limits on how much I can give. I have to give information about my employment. Why is it that those who give thousands if not millions more than I do are able to do so without anyone ever knowing? How is this fair, democratic, or even possible? It's long past time to end secret political spending by corporations. Corporations don't make the decision to give. People who hide behind them do. We are an international laughing stock because of this. We tell the world they need and must develop democracy, yet we're available to the highest bidder.
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 for considering my comment.
Sincerely,
Beth Birnbaum