Ex-financier Mitt Romney in a conference call to corporate CEOs in June:
“I hope you make it very clear to your employees what you believe is in the best interest of your enterprise and therefore their job and their future in the upcoming elections. And whether you agree with me or you agree with President Obama, or whatever your political view, I hope — I hope you pass those along to your employees. Nothing illegal about you talking to your employees about what you believe is best for the business, because I think that will figure into their election decision, their voting decision and of course doing that with your family and your kids as well.”
“Goldman Sachs, the global investment bank and financial services firm, announced Friday morning that it is running for president of the United States.”
“… the conglomerate will forgo donations altogether and instead finance the campaign with a portion of the $10 billion in taxpayer-funded bailout money the investment bank received in 2009. “
– “Goldman Sachs announces presidential run,” K.M. Breay, Salon
“The United States government offers tax incentives to companies pursuing medical breakthroughs, urban redevelopment and alternatives to fossil fuels.
It also provides tax breaks for a company whose hit video game this year was the gory Dead Space 2, which challenges players to advance through an apocalyptic battlefield by killing space zombies.”
– “Rich Tax Breaks Bolster Makers of Video Games,” David Kocieniewski, New York Times
In a landmark decision today, five members of the United States Supreme Court gave new meaning to the phrase “Money Talks” by adding it to the First Amendment. Read about it here and here. Lawyers and gluttons for punishment may read the majority opinion in Citizens United v. U.S. Federal Election Commission.
Image (“Freedom of Speech, after Norman Rockwell and the U.S. Supreme Court”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com
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