Called Out

The trouble with corporate personhood is that while behemoth corporations like General Electric and Exxon Mobile are entitled to the same basic rights and constitutional protections as you and I, as if they were individual citizens (natural persons), they are not held accountable for their actions in the same ways. For example, if you or I were unable to pay our taxes because of say, unemployment or rising health care costs, the IRS would come down on us with heavy penalties to put us even further into the hole. And if I poisoned my entire community's water supply by drilling into my backyard, using hazardous chemicals to extract natural gas to heat my home, it is likely that I would go to jail. But corporate criminals are not prosecuted the way that individual criminals are; they are afforded a lot more leeway. Meanwhile, our fellow "citizens" the big corporations are entitled to a number of tax loopholes allowing them to legally evade paying the IRS while the rest of us set-up scheduled plans to pay down what we owe.

In the midst of a huge set of government budget cuts primarily targeting programs for low-income Americans, we hear about those companies we bailed out a few years ago posting record profits, giving out record bonuses to their top execs, and failing to pay billions of dollars in corporate income tax.

But some groups are calling them out on their hypocrisy, like US Uncut. Yesterday, in collaboration with the Yes Men, US Uncut released this fake press release from General Electric, stating that the company intends to repay its $3.2 billion tax refund to the government to help alleviate budget cuts affecting the poor. The release stated:

"We know that Americans are going through tough times... While we owe it to our shareholders to use every legal loophole to maximize returns, we also owe something to the American people. We didn't write the laws that let us legally avoid paying taxes. Congress did. But we benefit from those laws, and now we'd like to share those benefits."

Ha! If only... while it is indeed true that these laws were written by congress, by OUR representatives, it is also true that they were written as a result of the massive pressure put onto these representatives (and into their pockets) by corporate lobbyists, in the form of large campaign donations and gifts. Which brings us back to the trouble with corporate personhood. Anyone else notice a pattern here? My head is spinning.

Fake Paper, Real Facts

The Yes Men have struck again! The culture jamming activist group distributed almost 1 million hoax copies of the New York Post this morning in New York City, all of which contained factual articles related to the climate change crisis. The articles in the post (which carry such titles as "Flopenhagen," referring to the the world climate conference to be held in Copenhagen this December, the outcome of which will be a "flop" if the U.S. doesn't front some real climate legislation soon; and the cover story, "We're Screwed," which warns of the environmental and public health catastrophes for which New York City is doomed from the consequences of climate change) are based on true facts and real reports by scientists and climate change experts. In fact, the fear-inducing cover story is based off of a report commissioned by the mayor's office in February of 2009 and carried out by a team of highly respected scientists.

Of course, the dramatic action of seizing one of NYC's most popular newspapers has brought heightened attention to the issues surrounding climate change, which are normally overlooked by news sources like the Post. But it is essential that the word is spread wide and often. As one of the Yes Men, Andy Bichlbaum put it: "This could be, and should be a real New York Post. Climate change is the biggest threat civilization has ever faced, and it should be in the headlines of every paper, every day until we solve the problem." A point very well made.

But the prankster paper wasn't completely devoted to doomsday warnings and frightening tales of our impending penance. There was also a congratulatory piece called "New York Fights Back," which detailed New York City's efforts at reducing carbon emissions and achieving sustainability. According to the article, residents of NYC produce only 1/3 of the emissions as the national average (probably thanks to our extensive bike lanes, public transport, and accessibility of provisions). It also mentioned the Million Trees NYC program, the new hybrid taxis and police cars, and the 1800 miles of bike paths that we boast here in the big apple. There were also whimsical advertisements for tote bags, bicycles, and tap water ("literally comes right out of your faucet!")

The paper had all of New York talking, and with close to 1 million copies distributed, it undoubtedly had some of us learning, as well. This amazing feat is highly commendable, and attracts some well needed attention to issues surrounding climate change as the G20 meetings take place in Pittsburgh this week, and as the U.N. gathers in New York to discuss the climate crisis. Like the Green Peace Activists who hung a large banner on Mount Rushmore during the G8 meetings earlier this summer, the Yes Men have found a way to make apathy seem boring, and dissemination of knowledge seem exciting, bringing climate change to the forefront of our newspapers and our minds.