58. Corporations Should Not Have the Same Rights as Huma n Beings

WHEREAS the Democratic Party of Maui believes that democracy is dependent upon local grassroots economies for our communities where families live,

WHEREAS we believe our democracy is controlled and threatened by mega-enterprises and propose to put an end to this consolidation of power.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Maui hereby:

Opposes corporate welfare which is defined as any action by local, state or federal government that gives corporations or an entire industry a benefit not offered to others, be it a grant, subsidy, real estate, low interest rate loan or tax breaks in the form of a credit, exemption, deferral, deduction or a tax rate lower than what others pay. Mega-corporations are the major beneficiaries of corporate welfare to the disadvantage of smaller companies.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED Democratic Party of Maui that the strongly advocates legislation to strengthen controls and to increase penalties for businesses that violate the public trust.

We will initiate and promote the following actions:

• End the legal fiction that corporations are entitled to rights as persons

• Exclude corporations from political participation

• Implement serious political campaign reform to reduce the influence of money in politics

• Eliminate corporate welfare, direct or indirect

• Recover other externalized costs through fees and taxes

• Implement mechanisms to regulate international corporations and finance

• Provide economic parity small, locally-owned enterprises so they will flourish at the grassroots of our communities where our families are

• Community reinvestment to promote local business and home ownership

• Businesses that build, employ, and invest in the United States and do not engage in income tax avoidance by establishing offshore companies.