What would Jefferson do?

If faced with the results of the Citizens United decision, what would Thomas Jefferson do? There is no doubt that Jefferson, among other founding fathers were aware of the threats to representative government that could come from corporations. Today, we are faced with the reality of those threats. While many conservatives argue that the primary purpose of corporations is profit for the shareholders, Jefferson, and most other educated businessmen (and business women) would list the providing of product and/or service as the primary driving force of a corporation. Most would agree that without success in achieving that goal there would be no profits to distribute. Jefferson said, ““I hope we shall crush… in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." Jefferson wasn’t the only President to recognize the dangers of excess corporate power and wealth. Jackson was also opposed to allowing corporations political strength. Conservatives like to talk about following the ideals of the country’s founding fathers yet they have continued to support allowing corporations to influence our political process in direct contrast to the ideals of those they continue to reference. The following links to articles further explore this issue. http://www.thenation.com/blog/37038/thomas-jefferson-feared-aristocracy-corporations http://soundingcircle.com/newslog2.php/__show_article/_a000195-000205.htm