Why Companies Should Stop Political Spending Now

A decade ago, the U.S. Supreme Court changed the rules on how
businesses could donate to political campaigns. Since then,
hundreds of millions of corporate dollars have been spent on local,
state, and federal elections, often without transparency. Many CEOs
and boards feel this is the only way they can curry favor with
policymakers. Dorothy Lund, an associate professor of law at the
University of Southern California, and Leo Strine Jr., counsel at
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen, and Katz and a former Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of Delaware, say this isn't just bad for democracy.
It's bad for business because it distracts companies from
innovation and growth and risks serious backlash from consumers,
employees, and shareholders. They suggest ways to dial back
corporate political spending and improve the economy for all. They
are the authors of the HBR article "Corporate Political Spending is
Bad Business: How to Minimize the Risks and Focus on What Counts.”