Reply #13: Corporations aren't that stupid.

[kenny blankenship]

They'll put their names on sports arenas, and proudly sponsor civic events. But when it comes to politics, they know it's necessary that we continue to believe that our govt "belongs to the people", and that we believe our govt's decrees are the result of our own free and democratic choices at the ballot box. If corporations ran everything directly they would then stand blamable for when things go badly. That's a major liability, and not compatible with their goal of maximizing profits. Privatize profits and socialize losses is their golden rule. When things go wrong for them, we're supposed to eat it, and refloat their business ventures. But when things go wrong for us, well that's too bad. If they ran things openly, with their name over the door and everything, they would become directly responsible for when things go wrong for other interests in society and they might be on the hook for damages great and small caused by their mismanagement. A publicly held corporation in the first place is a legal entity designed to limit personal liability and to evade responsibility. So the last thing they want is to be visibly in charge of things so that the little people look to them when stuff hits the fan.