US Businesses Increasingly Taking Stands on Political Issues 

WASHINGTON - In the weeks since the Republican-controlled Legislature in the state of Georgia passed a law making it more difficult for many citizens to vote in its elections — a move that is expected to disproportionately affect African Americans and other minority groups — hundreds of business leaders have signed open letters deploring efforts to restrict access to the ballot box.   

The movement has attracted companies associated with the new information-era economy, such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as stalwarts of the old guard of American business, such as General Motors and IBM. All four were among the hundreds of companies and business leaders who signed an open letter in support of voting rights that spanned two pages in The New York Times last week.  Seeking shared values   Historically, most businesses have tried to avoid taking stands on issues outside the realm of their corporate interests. But as a younger generation of business leaders and consumers gains influence, that is changing, according to corporate experts.