On the recordJune 24, 2010
The purpose of this bill, as I understand it, is for transparency and for people to understand what's happening out there as people spend lots of money--other people's money, very often--to advocate for or against candidates. In the case of unions, unions are very transparent in who they're supporting and who they're not supporting when they decide to take that kind of action. Union members pay voluntarily with their dues money, and the unions disclose who they are and who they're supporting. People who invest in corporations, presumably for the purpose of investing money and furthering America's economic and their own economic interest, have a right to know how those corporations are spending their money that they thought was being invested for the purpose of capitalism and free enterprise rather than to be diverted into anybody's personal political agendas. Unions do that because their members vote; corporations do not. And I would have no idea of a corporation that I may invest in, whether they're spending my initial investment money to work against my interests or even your interests-- or for them, for that matter. This is just to let people know. The second point, the amendment that I offer covers every organization that is covered under the bill equally. I yield back the balance of my time.
