"'the people within it' --> a company does emphatically not speak for the people within it."
I did not say it necessarily did, though it's certainly speaking for its leadership, who answers to the human shareholders and is voluntarily associated with the other people in the company.
"This is in stark contrast with a political party or other groups joined by individuals for political purposes"
Indeed. It's a group created for other purposes. Political involvement is a valid avenue for pursuing those purposes, as the political system affects the group.
"If a corporations can run for a seat in Congress, and, if they are the voice of shareholders, and these shareholders can be foreign, where does that leave our democracy?"
That's not a concern, that's open-ended rhetoric based on a publicity stunt. EDIT: One based on a facile misreading of legal principles intended to confuse the uninformed.
"That's not a concern, that's open-ended rhetoric based on a publicity stunt. EDIT: One based on a facile misreading of legal principles intended to confuse the uninformed."
Uhm, huh? Let's say Exxon runs for a seat. During its term, 20% of Exxon is purchased by PetroChina. So now the seat is no longer under American control. The person who was elected to Congress is no longer the same person; legally it is still Exxon, but in reality it is a different person since the new shareholder, who is a foreigner, exerts significant influence.
Yes, the reasoning is bogus because Exxon can't take public office. Full stop.
You - and many other people in this discussion - are confusing different legal concepts of "person" as well as "citizen". People like those in the linked story are working to encourage that confusion.
I don't confuse citizenship with legal person at all.
However, I am assuming the company in the article is thinking it stands a chance, as evidenced by it spending dollars to test how far it can go. Otherwise they're pretty stupid, which they may very well be.
I did not say it necessarily did, though it's certainly speaking for its leadership, who answers to the human shareholders and is voluntarily associated with the other people in the company.
"This is in stark contrast with a political party or other groups joined by individuals for political purposes"
Indeed. It's a group created for other purposes. Political involvement is a valid avenue for pursuing those purposes, as the political system affects the group.
"If a corporations can run for a seat in Congress, and, if they are the voice of shareholders, and these shareholders can be foreign, where does that leave our democracy?"
That's not a concern, that's open-ended rhetoric based on a publicity stunt. EDIT: One based on a facile misreading of legal principles intended to confuse the uninformed.