Comments on: Google this: Why CEOs won't speak their minds

Taking a stance on policy and national politics, Google execs may ruffle some feathers. But it's a refreshing change for an increasingly scripted industry.

[MuleHeadJoe]

One little comment caught my notice ... it was something I've also heard from many different sources across many many years ... "companies are prohibited from making campaign contributions". There are so many loopholes in the law (if it even exists ... I'm not a lawyer, and refuse to take it on face value anymore) that corporations are funding almost all political campaigns nowadays. Every company I've worked for has donated money to political compaigns, even if not directly to presidential candidates themselves. One company I worked for had it's own in-house PAC created to lobby & fund politicians on issues dealing with their business. The PAC was created by the corporation, staffed by senior management of the corporation, used company resources to solicit donations from employees and to proselytize their political views to the point of including in broadcast email recommendations for how to vote in various races or on various propositions. How is that any different than just handing a wad of company cash to the CEO's preferred politicians or pet political schemes?

I don't mind CEO's (or anybody else for that matter) speaking their mind on any subject as long as they are not using their companies' resources to influence anybody else. I draw a clear distinction between company resources and personal resources. Using company email or distributing a paper memo via the company mailroom or in the office at all is using company resources. If he uses his company office, company phone, is on paid company time in any way shape or form, that is using company resources, not personal resources. And that is not only where I draw the line ... if my boss wants to dish politics, fine, but if he asks for me to vote a certain way or to contribute to some political subject of his choice, then that's gone way too far.

The difference between what is legal and what is ethical is often times a vast chasm, and I for one don't think I should have to put up with that kind of pressure from my employers.

CEO's speak yer mind, sure, but keep your politics out of the business.

[dctrofspin]

Speaking as a corporate PR professional who's spent the majority of his career in DC, I would also add that we don't put the boss "out there" on political choice because the consequences are too brutal. If you are a heavily regulated company and engaged in DC, once you declare your devotion to one party you better hope they don't lose power. Because once they do, simple payback is no longer the rule...it's now about vindictive payback. The partisanship in Washington is now at a level of brutality that only those who been through the grinder can really understand. When your company's fortunes are held in the political balance and the shareholders are being pinched by the testies and depending on a good political outcome, what CEO wants to report failure due to the the fact he was found to be on the wrong side of the personal political fence??

[ccolborn]

Hi, Charles.

>"We're all so careful these days to tiptoe around the obvious that the frank talk most often takes place behind closed doors.".

These days? How about, most days in the history of mankind. There is a reason why people have a fear of retribution. "Freedom of speech" does come with a price, in many cases.

[kamchoor]

How about:
+ techies stick to tech stuff.
+ actors stick acting.
+ politicians stick to serving the public with high(er) ethics.
+ journalist stick to reporting (not injecting colorful commentary as facts).

just a crazy idea....

Amazingly, all to often celebs and populists think that just because they've done well in their field, they are now in a position of run the world. No. They are not. They are people like you and I. If they were so great in politics, why don't they run for office?

Only a truly committed person runs for office. Others are simply blowing hot air and should be discounted like everyone else.

kam.

[NoVista]

Well, kamchoor

Maybe the crazy idea is that politicians have a clue more than the rest of us -- about anything. Or maybe the old phrase "of, by, and for the people" means we should ALL be politicians -- which means all of us should have informed opinions.