Topic: Corporate Personhood

Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards is criticized for framing the Hobby Lobby case as a "war on women" and comparing it to anti-gay legislation in Arizona. The hosts discuss the legal reality of corporate personhood and point out that many mainstream media outlets, including CNN and the *Chicago Tribune*, are using identical "echo chamber" phrasing to attack the company.

The concept of corporate personhood remains a central point of political leverage, though it is foundational to the American legal system's ability for entities to sue and be sued. The hosts contrast their listener-supported "value-for-value" model with mainstream media, which they claim cannot provide honest analysis of the insurance industry due to corporate sponsorship. They argue that mainstream outlets prioritize protecting the financial interests of large banks and insurers over constitutional rights.

The Supreme Court decision allowing unlimited corporate spending in politics is dismissed as a formality for a system already dominated by corporate money. Separately, film critic Roger Ebert is facing copyright takedown notices from Disney for a tribute to Gene Siskel, despite Steve Jobs being Disney's largest shareholder.

The US Supreme Court issued a landmark 5-4 ruling in Citizens United v. FEC, overturning restrictions on corporate and union spending for political campaign ads. The hosts argue this decision effectively ends American democracy by allowing corporations like Monsanto to flood the airwaves with repetitious advertising. Justice Sonia Sotomayor's dissent is noted.

The hosts observe a rare alignment between the far left and the Tea Party right regarding corporate bailouts and financial corruption. They argue that social wedge issues like abortion and religion are used to prevent these groups from forming a unified front against the "corporatocracy." The discussion also touches on the legal status of corporations as individuals and the resulting lack of accountability for criminal actions.