Word: opinionated
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...political donations out of its internal funds. But the Federal Eleaction Act of 1971 permitted the use of corporate money for "the establishment, administration and solicitation of contributions to a separate, segregated fund to be utilized for a political purpose." Following clarifying amendments in 1974 and a favorable advisory opinion by the FED in 1975, corporations by the hundreds began forming PACs. Today, over 800 corporate PACs use company funds to solicit "voluntary" contributions from the ranks of management and stockholders. Still more PACs have been formed by business-related trade associations...
...from spending money to influence state-wide initiataive campaigns when the issue at stake does not materially affect them. (Note that even this powerful law could not and did not prevent soft drink manufacturers from spending money to defeat the bottle bill initiative.) Justice Powell, in writing the majority opinion, stated: "[Free speech] is indispensable to decisionmaking in a democracy, and this is not less true because speech comes from a corporation rather than an individual." The Court argued, rather naively it seems, that "There was no showing that the relative voice of corporations has been overwhelming or even significant...
Justice White, in dissenting from the majority opinion, put his finger on the crucial point--that corporations are artificial entities chartered by the state for the purpose of economic profit-making and not for the purpose of furthering political goals. The sate is interested in promoting economic development and thus bestows upon corporations special privileges such as the ability to pool capital, limited liability, and perpetual life. "The special status of corporations," argues Justice White, "has placed them in a position to control vast amounts of economic power which may, if not regulated, dominate not only the economy but also...
...words of Justice Bazelon's Court of Appeals opinion in the same case, though reversed by the Supreme Court, now resonate with a special prescience: "To the extent that uncertainties necessarily underlie predictions of this importance on the frontiers of science and technology, there is a concomitant necessity to confront and explore fully the depth of such uncertainties." The Supreme Court thought otherwise and gagged the public...
...Opinion Page presents the views of members of the Harvard Community and others. These views do not necessarily represent those of the Crimson or its staff...