I commonly hear the phrase "Corporations are people and money is speech" in American politics.

IF that were true,, ( money=speech) then that would mean your freedom of speech increases with the money you have. I dont think that is what was meant for.
"Corporations are people" is another Debacle created by a conservative court. it IS true they were created to shield people from the consequences of their bad choices, and illegal acts, by creating a fictionl entity, as tho a person, to take the hit when things go bad