Over the last decade, public corporations have given Republicans at the state level a financial advantage that exceeds $200 million, according to new research provided exclusively to Popular Information by the Center for Political Accountability. One way corporations bankroll politicians is through corporate PAC contributions directly to candidates. This money is important but has some substantial limitations. First, PAC money comes from a segregated fund that is financed through voluntary contributions by corporate employees. Second, there are generally strict limits on how much a PAC can give to an individual candidate in each election. Third, there is a direct connection between the corporations and the candidate, which makes it easy to hold corporations accountable for PAC contributions.
I read on Twitter in one of my fits and spurts of sleep, someone suggested we are no long a democracy but have become a corporate oligarchy. This seems to be the case from following these charts. When politics become a money shell game, the one exact truth that comes out, is the voter, the citizen, loses big. It surpress- es our vote in a whole different perspective. Good reporting.
We all "know" it, but it's nice to see it in printable form. The Corporations sucking us dry and doing the most damage to the Planet are the ones feeding the machine.
Fossil fuels. Health insurance/pharmaceuticals. Telecom. Tobacco. Not terribly surprising these industries are represented among the "most wanted" list above. They've been putting their profits above the public welfare as a general rule.
This is "Exhibit A" in any case for how our brand if "capitalism" is antithetical to democracy.
The system has been perverted so we have neither fair economic competition (to create the best economic growth for society) nor a system that brings our the best ideas (democracy) for social growth.
And that these companies and "leaders" are so blatant shows just how deep the rot is.
Thank you for this. Now we can see how these corporations directly support voter suppression and gerrymandering, all with the full approval of our "unbiased" Supreme Court.
And then people wonder why I am so pessimistic about this country's future?
More huge lies from corporations that claim to "donate evenly to both sides of the aisle". We all knew that was crap from the jump but this needs to be called out. It's very clear that these corporations only care about looking good to the public and then turn around and do the exact opposite in secret. Keep exposing these people for who they truly are and what they truly care about. Disenfranchising voters who would vote against them.
Thankfully I don’t work for a large corporation, but I wonder how the PAC money is collected from employees. Do they know they’re funding anti democratic legislators/initiatives? Do they know their own company presidents (like Stankley) have decided that matters like (THEIR OWN) voting rights are best left to politicians (at least that’s how I read the quote from him)?
On another topic entirely - how very heartening to read today that Cleveland Clinic and Sinai Hospital of NYC have taken their own second looks at the horrifying FDA approval process for anti-Alzheimer’s drugs. Very courageous, and I hope my local Northwestern Hospital (Chicago) will do the same.
So, can I ask: what if corporations donated based on their marketing/PR positions vs “donating evenly to both sides” (questionable) as they say they do? What would /Republicans do? Maybe pass favorable consumer laws to punish their capitalist lackeys?
As Mitt Romney said “Corporations are people, too!” So it is a corporate responsibility to take a stand in a participatory democracy to preserve and expand voting rights. Otherwise Citizens United says you are shirking your responsibilities as good citizens. This goes for corporate political donations: it is right and just to take a stand and put your money where your mouth is.
I read on Twitter in one of my fits and spurts of sleep, someone suggested we are no long a democracy but have become a corporate oligarchy. This seems to be the case from following these charts. When politics become a money shell game, the one exact truth that comes out, is the voter, the citizen, loses big. It surpress- es our vote in a whole different perspective. Good reporting.
We all "know" it, but it's nice to see it in printable form. The Corporations sucking us dry and doing the most damage to the Planet are the ones feeding the machine.
Fossil fuels. Health insurance/pharmaceuticals. Telecom. Tobacco. Not terribly surprising these industries are represented among the "most wanted" list above. They've been putting their profits above the public welfare as a general rule.
Horrible.
This is "Exhibit A" in any case for how our brand if "capitalism" is antithetical to democracy.
The system has been perverted so we have neither fair economic competition (to create the best economic growth for society) nor a system that brings our the best ideas (democracy) for social growth.
And that these companies and "leaders" are so blatant shows just how deep the rot is.
Thanks Judd, for trying to raise awareness!
Thank you for this. Now we can see how these corporations directly support voter suppression and gerrymandering, all with the full approval of our "unbiased" Supreme Court.
And then people wonder why I am so pessimistic about this country's future?
More huge lies from corporations that claim to "donate evenly to both sides of the aisle". We all knew that was crap from the jump but this needs to be called out. It's very clear that these corporations only care about looking good to the public and then turn around and do the exact opposite in secret. Keep exposing these people for who they truly are and what they truly care about. Disenfranchising voters who would vote against them.
Thankfully I don’t work for a large corporation, but I wonder how the PAC money is collected from employees. Do they know they’re funding anti democratic legislators/initiatives? Do they know their own company presidents (like Stankley) have decided that matters like (THEIR OWN) voting rights are best left to politicians (at least that’s how I read the quote from him)?
On another topic entirely - how very heartening to read today that Cleveland Clinic and Sinai Hospital of NYC have taken their own second looks at the horrifying FDA approval process for anti-Alzheimer’s drugs. Very courageous, and I hope my local Northwestern Hospital (Chicago) will do the same.
So, can I ask: what if corporations donated based on their marketing/PR positions vs “donating evenly to both sides” (questionable) as they say they do? What would /Republicans do? Maybe pass favorable consumer laws to punish their capitalist lackeys?
As Mitt Romney said “Corporations are people, too!” So it is a corporate responsibility to take a stand in a participatory democracy to preserve and expand voting rights. Otherwise Citizens United says you are shirking your responsibilities as good citizens. This goes for corporate political donations: it is right and just to take a stand and put your money where your mouth is.