Shannon Sankey Source 3

What roles to corporations play in politics under "Corporate Personhood?"

• Hill, Matthew D., et al. "Determinants and Effects of Corporate Lobbying."Financial Management 42.4 (2013): 931-57. Web.

This article explains that after the Citizens V. Federal Election Committee or FEC, corporations had the ability to create what are known as Political Action Committees or PACS. These Pacs are used by corporations to contribute money to a campaign. This article shows how this has directly influenced corporate lobbying. They show research to prove that the amount and intensity of lobbying directly relates to the size of the corporation; this shows that corporations are more important for larger firms. This article also argues that corporations use lobbying to gain political gains that enhance the firms value. This article also raises the question about whether managers have an obligation to the shareholders to represent their political speech in the form of Pacs. 

The obvious misfortune of this is that nothing is in stasis with each other. It uses statistics to prove certain activities within the corporation but never actually argues anything that has a clear opposition. It does change my thinking because it shows that corporations have a large influence or voice in politics. They can influence regulations through corporate lobbying and its shown that they do have an effect. This article does prove that corporations have access to influence politicians and political activity. 

I could put this article in conversation with the other ones by shedding light onto how involved corporations really are when it comes to politics. Other than that, this article doesn't really argue anything, so the next step would be to find arguments for and against corporate lobbying. 

What are the good things about corporate lobbying and super pacs? What are the bad things? Can they influence political activity? If so, are these influences a good thing or not?