I don't think corporations have outbid the needs of Americans, but they have infiltrated every aspect of our lives. It seems like government puts more emphasis on cow towing to large corporations than encouraging innovation in small and medium sized business.

And as a sports fan, I absolutely despise the corporate naming of stadiums and sporting events.

hell yes. kucinich once again speaks for the people... too bad people don't take him more seriously. i couldn't agree more with him.

I think corporations have taken on way too much importance in the U.S.- even as customers, we're all replaceable by the Chinese. Like Mariner, I hate that stadiums and events have corporate names. It would be cool if Obama gave Kucinich an important voice in his administration, but I won't hold my breath for that - we're just going to have to elect more progressives locally so they can move up in national politics.

I'm glad that Starbucks is closing some of it's stores, Manhattan doesn't need one at every corner. The same for Duane Reade.

I agree with what you are saying in regards to corporate naming of sporting events/venues, 2M! I miss Jacobs Field and refuse to call it Progressive Field. At least Clevelanders still have Cleveland Browns Stadium. (For now, anyway.)

Although, as much as it annoys me, I totally see the arguments for having corporations buy naming rights to things like sporting venues. I understand to an extent why taxes help pay for stadiums (they bring more money into the economy than they cost), but anything that takes the burden off of taxpayers when it comes to sports venues is good, so I guess it's kind of a double-edged sword. Why can't wealthy benefactors buy all of the stadiums and fund them, while letting them keep non-corporate names?

Why don't corporations just pay taxes instead of buying naming rights to our lives?

I bet he is really just mad about Progressive Field and Quicken Loans Arena. Jacobs Field and Gund Arena are such better names!

Corporations in the U.S. pay the second highest taxes of anywhere in the world.

And, while it annoys me, I wouldn't really saying that having a stadium named after a corporation gives it "rights to our lives."

When they bother to pay taxes, they stand to pay a high rate, but as not paying and finding loopholes means corporations have shorted the government lately by about $345-Billion (according to Congress), I'm not real sympathetic to their plight.

How much of that comes from the same few corporations that find the loopholes? Should all corporations be punished because of a few bad apples?

And I'm not asking anyone to be "sympathetic to their plight."

Anyway, I"m out for the day. Have a great night, all!

Wooo... PEPSI FIELD!

Actually, one more thing, then I'm out for the day. I support local businesses and understand their significance, but I absolutely despise the way corporations are so vilified in our country. They are able to provide a lot of jobs and help get infrastructure provided in places that might not otherwise have it. Corporations help rebuild areas and entire cities. Of course there are "bad" corporations, but there are many good corporations as well. What is so immoral about working to be successful and achieving that success? And what laws or morals deny corporations the right to sponsor events? I think we have all heard many stories about rural communities that begin to thrive because a corporation builds a store there or about areas in major cities that are revitalized because corporations build housing and stores there. Like with any group, there are bad seeds. But, that doesn't mean corporations as a whole need to be vilified. It's like, we want you to work and be successful, but don't get too successful, because then you will be an evil corporation! It really bugs me.

Kucinich, by the way, is the love of my life!

"We're in the Pepsi arena. Obama is gong to give his acceptance in Invesco stadium. What's this about? It's like we're forgetting the public space."

Exactly. What is this about?

I rue the day when the government controls prescription drug pricing and keeps factories open that aren't viable.

lilkimbo, I totally agree with you.

If Corporate interests have taken over the everyday American Congressman Kucinich also has to recognize that it is the every day American who put their interests up for auction. If you're going to present a map than present to us the layout which shows how things arrived at inequality and injustice from both ends. The greed & gluttony of the corporations and the complacency and indifference of the everyday American.

America does need to wake the hell up and stand up for it's interests. Our representatives may be our pawns but we are the Kings and Queens who need to deliver the marching orders. Corporations will continue to do what is in the nature of the beast however beasts can be tamed and made to work for the common welfare.

lilkimbo,

I agree with you on many counts. I do not believe all corporations are "bad" either. I have to say though, it irks me to see large corporations move into cities/towns when times are good. And then the economy takes a turn for the worse and many times they split! Lately I've been wondering about all of the failing airlines. Their financial problems have already lead to staff & support cuts. With all the current merging going on, will some cities lose their hub status, thus termination in jobs?

Right now my community has suffered job losses because Crocs hasn't been doing so well. They had this huge boom, now earnings are down, they've cut many many jobs, and now what? There are tons of people left without jobs, living in a fairly expensive community.

That is what happens in a free-market economy though. I mean, are we going to start subsidizing crocs to save jobs?

I don't believe that corporations or bad. In some ways they do symbolize the American Dream. It's just that with great success in corporate America also comes great power and influence. When that power and influence spills into the political arena at the expense of small and medium sized business that is a problem.

Great societies encourage innovation on many fronts. Innovation in art, music, theater, literature, politics, science, or entreprenurialship is so invaluable to a society. I really feel like this country has stagnated on every creative front. It's not about being good at one particular thing, it's about having an environment that is conducive to creativity and the power of large corporations is just one factor in dampening that.

Pop: ABSOLUTELY!

No. Of course not. I just wish that in cases such as Crocs, they'd try to grow without so much haste. You know... be a little more responsible. Grow with the visions of the long-term and sugar plum fairies dancing in their heads.

I suppose... but companies fail and succeed every day. I just don't see how we can control that.

And even if we could control it, it might benefit us in the short term but I really don't think it would in the long-term.

I hate corporate names for public venues and sports events. That's easy to fix, though: I just don't use them. (Except maybe in a few cases where the venue is new and doesn't have an "old" name.)

I second kim's remark about saving tax dollars. I don't think my money should be used to subsidize some businessman's childhood dream of owning a sports team. Let the corporations pay for it.

As for the other points:
-- Insurance companies didn't "take over" health care. They create a pool to reduce the risk to individuals of having a financially disastrous illness. Medical care is expensive because we have lots of high-tech equipment and skilled staff, which costs more than *not* having those things. I always have the option of seeing a doctor outside my HMO.
-- Pharmaceutical companies invest their resources in research and development; they must be able to recoup their costs from the successful products.
-- If we leave social security up to government, most of us will probably never see a nickel of our years of deductions. Some other plan needs to be devised.
-- Some of those jobs lost to Americans are lost right here in the US. Consider the recent ICE raids: Do you really think they couldn't find anyone to do those jobs if they were willing to pay a decent wage in a decent, save work environment? (I confess, though, I've always been suspicious of multi-nationals.)

I believe it's completely fair to grant free monopolies to sports teams and leagues, but I don't think that those teams and leagues should be allowed to do business with anyone else. That's definitely where I draw this arbitrary line.

In regards to the corporations partnering with the government for hand outs, I think that the answer is definitely more government.

What we need is a committee in congress that reviews hand outs to make sure they are for the needy or not so needy as the subjectively feel.

Then, perhaps, they should review the source for the funds at their disposal to decide whether the tax payer who paid is needy or not so needy as they subjectively feel.

What's certain is that we need the government as a vehicle for wealth redistribution, but we must be able to trust these people to evaluate our neediness in such a way that is popular.

Why defend insurance and pharmaceutical companies, Laine??? Why?? But since you're OK with their policies I guess you also are OK with the rising rates that are being predicted for next fiscal year as the first wave of baby boomers hits retirement and starts getting all those hearing aides and filling their blood pressure medications.

"Pharmaceutical companies invest their resources in research and development; they must be able to recoup their costs from the successful products." Um...really? and what exactly are they researching? hair loss? anti-wrinkle creams? erections? sorry, but yours is a rose-colored view of what they are really doing. they are pumping us full of "wonder drugs", advertising DIRECT to consumers rather than letting doctors do their jobs, and then hounding doctors to promote their "products", while all the while americans are eating, drinking and breathing in toxins that are making us sicker by the day -- but that's ok. i'm sure they'll have a drug for that someday, too.

i won't even go into what you said about social security and immigrants stealing our jobs. if you really want to trust the current financial system and wall street investors, who are all going BANKRUPT, with your retirement safety net (that's all SS is, a safety net)... then go right ahead.

I hate calling the Civic Center the Dunkin Donuts Center, yet I love Iced Coffee. Hmm... I'm going to have to think about this a bit more.

YY - are insurance companies allowed to make money? Should they be able to protect themselves from the rising costs of healthcare? It's a shame that the healthcare undustry seems to be immune from the blame, but the insurance companies are the ones who get the blame, because the insurance costs are directly related to the costs of healthcare. As healthcare goes up, so must the insurance rates. Not the other way around.

Yesteryear, amen amen amen.

Wake the HECK up America. Everybody needs to start thinking for themselves.

Loved Kucinich's speech, and I don't support Obama or McCain.

All Americans should have the right to make money (ethically and legally), but I have always been slightly creeped out by the fact that every single sports stadium ever is now named after a giant corporation.

It's about marketing. Why shouldn't the "owner" sell the naming rights, for the right price? The company that buys it gets what they want, the public doesn't have to finance a stadium through taxes, and the owner of the stadium gets lots capital for improvements.

It doesn't bug me personally, Dave. It just feels odd.

I will always call Candlestick Park by its rightful name, Candlestick Park.

Well, I'm just writing for points anyway...

The truth comes out!

Someone reminded me once that Wrigley field was the first stadium that gave up its naming rights to a corporation. That name sounds so normal to me now. Maybe that's how it will be for future generations

In re: to big evil corporations... it's no secret that companies are out there to make money. If they're behaving unethically then that's no good and we should go after it.

But the last thing that I want is government to take over those functions. I mean, the government isn't exactly known for ethics themselves.

And I honestly can't think of a government program that is efficient and well run.

The only thing I can think of that is a government agency and runs well is congress. The fathers got it right when they made it roll so slowly. It may not be fast, but it usually gets it right

The reason that stadiums and arenas are named after corporations (90% of the time) is because citizens vote down tax increases to pay for construction of the venues. That's it. If you don't like the names, then pay up.

I would rather the people who have the disposable income pay for the construction and upkeep.

I guess most taxpayers agree with you Undie.

Undie???

I don't trust the current financial system with my social security, which is why I want it to be privatized.

Also, insurance companies are not as evil as people would like to think. Insurance companies actually make a much smaller profit than other companies with similar revenues. As someone (I think UnDave) brought up, the cost of healthcare is rising every day. Insurance companies have to raise their rates, or they would go out of business. And many hospitals in this country are non-profits, so it's not like they are jacking up their rates.

And I'm with several others; it annoys me how sports stadiums are named after corporations now, but it happens. I would rather them be named after corporations than have to pay higher taxes. At least (for now) we still have Cleveland Browns Stadium!

That's only because no one wants to go near the mistake by the lake..

Sorry, couldn't resist.
Go Colts!

so freaking what if they do? there's lots more to *thank* corporations for.

i really wish i had as much confidence in all of these systems as some of you all do... it would be a much easier life if i could just glide through believing everyone was on my side and had my best interests in mind.

I don't think any of us believe that corporations have our best interests in mind or that everyone is on our side; that would be pretty childish and stupid. We just believe that there's nothing wrong with corporations working in their own self interest.

so they aren't on your side, yet they control everything from the medicine you get to who ends up running your country... and you're ok with them working in their own self-interest? this is why i think democrats are ok with government running things - at least there is a belief that government SHOULD be accountable, and though they are loaded with bureaucracy, there are systems in place that allow everyday people to challenge government accountability -- when it comes to corporations, accountability is very very fuzzy. and yes, there are good corporations, tons of them... but the few that are bad are also the largest and most powerful. and that's the problem.

Yes, I am ok with them working in their own self-interest because I believe that it is human nature to work harder when you are working for yourself rather than for the common good. I believe that more innovation will come if greater personal rewards are offered for that innovation than if the only reward offered is "the common good."

And I also don't believe in restricting the rights of the many because the few choose to abuse those rights.