S 99/H 440: Examples of bad bills that would give special benefits to a select group of corporations | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This article originally appeared in the Beaufort Observer.

   In Alice In Wonderland Humpty Dumpty said to Alice: "'When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less."

   Politicians are masters at twisting words to mean just what the politician wants them to mean...or seem to mean. Take one example: "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." That's ObamaCare. And another: When Obama attacked Libya he declared that it was not a military attack but a "foreign contingency operation."

   And while politicians are wizards at such shenanigans, lobbyists are even worse. In fact they are often the ones who give the politicians the words they choose for them to use. But no matter what the words used, or what they really mean, or appear to mean one thing you can usually count on: The lobbyists intend for a select group to get a special benefit.

   Now they are trying to enshrine this idea into law in North Carolina. It's called S 99.

   Here's the nutshell version. The bill would allow a for-profit corporation to become certified as a "benefit corporation." It would do so, according to the bill by meeting some standards established by a third party....not by the state. Once so certified the corporation would be eligible...you guessed it...for special benefits that other corporations do not get. Anybody see special economic incentives coming down the road? Anyone sense that these corporations will see permits "expedited"? Anyone see special tax treatments down the road?

   We predict that one of the first and largest "benefit corporations" will be none other than Duke Energy. Well, not the mother company but the "for profit" subsidiaries like Duke Renewables. Yep, there you have it. Put up some solar panels, a few windmills or an incinerator to burn hog waste and you're a "benefit corporation" and you are instantly in line for special considerations. Tuff luck to their competitors, or those companies whose taxes are raised to offset the benefits given these benefit corporations.

   If you want to read more click here.

   Word is that H440, the counterpart of S99 in the House, will be heard Monday before the House Commerce and Job Development Committee (there are a couple more Humpty Dumpty words).

   Somebody's going to make a ton of money on this thing if it passes. And you can bet it will not be me or you.