A reader remarks about that tree in the voting booth:
Sure, it’s crazy. But only slightly less crazy than personhood for corporations. Corporations are property, not persons. My garage does not get to vote, lobby, etc.
At the risk of being nit-picky, I do see a difference between a garage and a corporation – the former is a tangible object incapable of self-directed activities. The latter is an intangible social construct which can be said to be capable of self-directed activities.
Besides the obvious fact that people are tangible objects capable of self-directed activities, I’d argue that corporations fail this personhood test because their aggregate nature practically guarantees difference of opinion on many important issues. To suggest that they are eligible to contribute money to political causes despite those differences in opinion is fallacious; in reality, only those in control of the corporation will have their opinions implemented, effectively amplifying their opinions well beyond the reach of the common citizen.
This makes the position of Chairman of the Board or CEO that much more desirable.
