Government, Regulation & Business Ethics

Document 5 states that the government is run by big businesses rather than by the common people. The author’s purpose in writing was to show

It is unsensible to believe that even the upper crest of the US financially can keep up with a corporation. Therefore receiving donations from corporations is the candidate's main goal, while ignoring the many small donors that truly represent America’s views. While there is no solid proof of corporations influencing candidates decisions thee have been sketchy moment in which corporations money influencing candidates decisions have been suspected. In 2000 when Bush was running for president an energy company based in Houston, Enron donated a substantial amount of money to Bush. They donated 2.5 million making them the highest donating energy company and the 36th highest corporate donator. After Bush was elected he passed 6 bills extremely beneficial for Enron that multiplied their revenue by nearly three times. In all Corporations donating limitless to candidates forces a candidate to pass bills beneficial for their donors and not the majority of people. This needs to stop or the purity of America’s political system goes down the

As many things in life, ethics has evolved through the history of our society. As anyone who has ever has read the news can attest, there are certain behaviors and tradition typical in societies around the world that may seem unethical and, sometimes, inhuman when seen through our ethical point of view. However, we often forget that many of those behaviors and tradition were, not only accepted, but expected in our society at one time. As our society changes over time, our moral code and compass shifts changing our outlook and tolerance for certain behaviors. And, as in other aspects of our society, the way we conduct business is no different.

Once elected, politicians are inundated with constant reminders from lobbyists, of whose money helped elect them. According to the Office of Public Records, in 2009 there were almost 14,000 lobbyists who were supported by $3.5 billion of corporate money (geekacademy.com, 2010). With the combination of lobbyists and political donations, corporations are able to pressure politicians to help frame issues that are more favorable to them. And at the same time, keeping critical issues from being brought before Congress which those corporations are against. Political donations and corporate lobbying have proved to be an excellent

Corporations make America the money-hungry place that is critiqued worldwide. Without the major corporations we see today, like Walmart, Target, and Mcdonald’s, 27 million people would be unemployed and they are very well aware of that (Zillman, Claire). If these giants embody what is wrong in America, why should they have the right to contribute to the candidate they want to help elect? The CEOs of these companies have personal interests they want to protect. These individuals have earned money on the backs of the 27 million people, we should be protecting Main Street, not Wall Street. The Federal Election Commission should reserve the right to limit and close the checkbooks of the people that believe they can buy anything they wish.

“Is America a Democracy?” This first question was posed by Professor Jennings at the start of his discussion on American corporations. The simple answer is no, we are a republic, a system where the people have control of the government by electing representative officials. Some people, including Professor Jennings, argue that incorporated businesses are now “running the show” instead of citizens. In the 2011 Gallup poll “Do the following have too much power?” sixty-seven percent of people said that corporations do while seventy-one percent agree that lobbyists have too much power. Professor Jennings then presented data on how corporations lobbying members of congress spent 2.6 billion in a year while the federal budget for congress is 2 billion. Business lobbying also outspends labor by thirty-four to one.

Through privatization of major organizations, the government cuts its responsibility for some of the public programs and relays it to the public. These private organizations keep propelling their agendas to increase their wealth and power. This creates a conflict for our society as the government is not serving the needs for everybody but the needs for the upper class. This act is often reinforced by lobbyist groups. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) defines lobbying as a follows: “an organization will be regarded as attempting to influence legislation if it contacts, or urges the public to contact, members or employees of a legislative body for the purpose of proposing, supporting, or opposing legislation, or if the organization advocates the adoption or rejection of legislation.” The IRS is careful with wording to say

Corporations are not people, people like you and me influence politics by our usually limited tools, our vote and our limited wallet. Even rich people are limited in the amount of money they donate. However when corporations themselves, viewed as an independent entity can donate, a massive collective of people and resources is allowed to push their own interests. “On senate elections alone,

If the government was run like a business can we measure ethical values, social responsibility and quality. Would government, made up of the people, follow the current business trends of social responsibility? This includes serving the environment, cause marketing and promoting social diversity. Does the Government institutions on the local, state and national level currently reflect these ideals?

The government is having a constantly changing view on corporations. One minute the government makes laws to help corporations and

(Opensecrets) While the amount of corruption within politics is subjective to the amount one particularly trusts the government, the patterns are objectively present for the indication of a darker side of lobbying. Moreover, the corporate interests that make up the majority of the 3.22 billion dollars are vested in regulated industries. (Opensecrets) If these companies were to have someone in the ear of congressmen, the ones who vote on the bills that regulate these companies, it would be quite the advantage to them. A staggering advantage the corporations have, indeed. It may be the fossil fuel industry that has “donated” millions of dollars to congressmen’s campaigns for reelection, or the lumber industry that has allowed congressmen into the corporation’s pockets, or even the cattle industry with elite agricultural lobbyists pushing an agenda that is based around profits instead of prosperity for the people of

Unlike the United States, other countries differ in their opinion as to the level of accountability corporate entities need to be held to. Whereas the corporate entities that exist in the United States are broadly entitled, the law fails to restrict corporations as much as it does their individual counterparts. Our system is so overreaching to the extent that in a landmark Supreme Court ruling, Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, the rights of corporate entities have been protected so that the corporate personhood has been essentially granted the first amendment right of freedom of speech. In that decision the court granted these personhoods the unrestricted allowance to fund political organizations thus leaving the individual helpless. These allowances therefore spawn situations where corporate entities have advantages over individuals. In other cases the law limits corporate influences and basic rights, and most importantly their structure. This frequently creates a leeway for employees to break the law and only receive a minimal punishment. Lastly, in the Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, the court allowed for very wealthy companies to significantly sway political

The government takes care of ensuring that businesses do things in an ethical way. No other forms of

Business ethics refers to the consideration of moral decisions and responsibilities in the process of operating a business. Business ethics, practiced throughout the deepest layers of a company, become the heart and soul of the company 's culture and can mean the difference between success and failure. Values drive behavior and therefore need to be consciously stated, but they also need to be affirmed by actions. Ethical business environments are created with foundations of integrity, accountability and commitment.

Since, if anyone should have the power to impose taxes and make expenditures to promote social objectives, it shouldn’t be corporations but the government, as they have the resources and knowledge to make these kinds of decisions that could potentially have an impact on all our lives. Friedman argues, “Business professionals have neither the power nor possibly even the knowledge necessary to address larger societal problems, even if they wanted to” (Friedman, Milton. 1970). An example he refers to is the fact that business professionals are not in a position to fight inflation, where factors, such as money supply and aggregate demand need to be considered. Overall it is investing governmental power in a person who has no general mandate to govern and why should we allow unelected companies to determine our social values and to take over the role of elected government.