Welcome to personhood

The Supreme Court says that a corporation has the same rights and privileges, including freedom of speech, as any person. Fine. Along with rights come responsibilities.

Let’s start with the personal income tax. A person pays on all their income, not just their profits after paying all their bills. Let’s have this “person” pay at the same level as any other “person” in that income range would pay on their gross income. Of course this “person” should still be allowed to take the personal deduction, or the married deduction if they marry another “person.” They should also be allowed to deduct their mortgage interest, but only on their primary residence.

I, as a “person,” cannot deduct depreciation on my equipment, so neither should this other “person.” If I as a person commit libel or slander, I can be penalized. What about this corporate “person”?

The Republicans are mostly cheering this decision because we all assume it is going to benefit their party. In the short term, maybe so. But giving the corporations even more control over our government than they already have benefits no one.

Saying that a soulless corporation has the same rights as a person is an abomination.

Bill McLachlan

Spokane