Taking Back What We Created: A Corporate Power Reset for Washington

For over a century, corporations have operated in Washington State under powers granted by the state itself. They exist because the law allows them to exist, and the law defines what they can and cannot do. Yet, for decades, these same corporations have quietly amassed power over our political system, influencing elections and ballot measures through spending drawn from corporate treasuries.

The problem isn’t speech — it’s control. Citizens United v. FEC made headlines by expanding corporate political speech protections under the First Amendment, but it left a critical fact overlooked: corporations are not natural persons. They are legal creations of the state. The state grants them powers, and the state can take those powers away.

That’s where Washington can lead. Through a citizen initiative, we can reclaim the authority that has been quietly ceded to corporate entities. By removing the state-granted power of corporations to spend corporate funds in elections, we aren’t restricting anyone’s individual voice. Shareholders, employees, and officers remain free to participate politically, just like any other citizen. What we are doing is ensuring that corporations, as legal entities, cannot use their state-bestowed powers to dominate the political system.

This is about restoring democracy and accountability. When corporations spend money on political campaigns, it’s not just about supporting candidates — it’s about shaping policies, regulatory regimes, and public priorities to serve private interests. By stripping corporations of this power, we are putting citizens back in control, making it clear that government exists for the people, not for corporate coffers.

Washington’s citizens have the tools to act. Through an initiative to the legislature or directly to the people, we can amend the state corporate code to explicitly prevent corporations from using corporate funds for political influence. This is not an attack on speech — it is a reassertion of the state’s authority over its creations and a bold step toward a political system that reflects the will of the people rather than the power of corporate money.

The time to act is now. Every citizen who cares about democracy, transparency, and fairness has the opportunity to participate in this “corporate power reset.” By doing so, we send a clear message: our government answers to the people, not to corporations.