People Vote Not Corporations

Contrary to the Supreme Court, Citizens United decision that said that corporations have First Amendment rights to speech, corporations do not have the right to vote.  Additionally, the Supreme Court decision did not proclaim that a corporation exercising its right to free speech was making a legitimate business expense. To this end, the IRS should enforce and prevent any attempt of a corporation to deduct the costs of any political expenditure as a legitimate business expense.  Further the Securities and Exchange Commission should require that corporations disclose on quarterly financial reports any expenditures made for the intent or purposes of influencing legislation or elections.  Finally, any calculations of executive or CEO compensation must be done AFTER any and all political expenditures have been subtracted from revenues used to determine any bonus or compensation payment.  Additionally, payments in the form of dues, subscriptions, or other payments to individuals, organizations, or other entities whose purpose is to influence the political process may not be considered business expenditures and therefore may not be deducted as expenses incurred in the course of business.  The penalty for any organization or corporation deducting as a business expense funds that were ultimately used for political purposes should be a fine of not less than ten times the amount deducted as well as a similar fine levied on any employee of the organization or company guilty of such an infraction.  The best change that could be made to federal election laws is to restrict any candidate from accepting funds from anyone other than a voter registered and eligible to vote for the candidate receiving the contribution.  Only people vote and only people should be able to contribute to the electoral process.