Staff Reports
In a surprising turn of events, Senator Josh Hawley, a conservative voice in the United States Senate, has joined the traditionally liberal movement to limit corporate political donations. He recently announced his plan to introduce a bill that would overturn the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision. This ruling has been criticized by President Joe Biden and Democrats for allowing corporations to have an outsized influence on elections.
GOP Senator Announces Bill That Could Decimate Democrat Billionaires' Election Influencehttps://t.co/pFzRE6xHwv
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In a post on X, Sen. Hawley explained his reasoning, highlighting the need to prevent massive corporations from drowning out the voices of voters. He argued that corporations should not be considered people and proposed banning publicly traded corporations from making political donations.
This move by Sen. Hawley represents a shift among conservatives, who are now joining the progressive effort to limit the influence of so-called “woke” corporations and left-wing billionaires in American politics. Progressive allies like Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have long championed this cause, and Sen. Hawley’s support signifies a bipartisan push to address this issue.
During an interview with Real Clear Politics, Sen. Hawley expressed his belief in the original intent of the Founding Fathers when it comes to free speech. He argued that treating business corporations as individuals when it comes to political speech is not consistent with an originalist interpretation of the Constitution.
If passed, Sen. Hawley’s legislation would prohibit publicly traded corporations from making independent expenditures, contributing to Super PACs, running political ads, or engaging in other forms of electioneering. The Senator has repeatedly pointed to the increasingly progressive stance of corporate boardrooms as a reason to curb their influence in elections.
Conservatives have been critical of corporations that they believe prioritize issues such as diversity and inclusion over delivering quality customer service. Companies like Bud Light and Target have faced backlash from conservatives, while others like Coca-Cola and Disney have faced criticism for taking a stance on controversial social issues.
Overall, Sen. Hawley’s support for limiting corporate political donations demonstrates a growing bipartisan effort to address the influence of corporations in politics. With the backing of both progressive and conservative voices, there may be a real chance for change on this issue.
