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The major sources of funding political campaigns have led this nation to a point where we must recognize that our political process is corrupt and corrupting. If we check which corporations give to which politicians and observe how those politicians vote on issues that affect our nation, then the obvious conclusion is that large campaign donations influence (and frequently corrupt) the way our nation is run. Campaign donations, when given in large amounts by corporations and other major organizations, are really bribes. They may not conform to the legal definition of bribes, but there are other definitions that make a case for classifying them as such. Webster's has two definitions of bribe as a noun: (1) Money or favor bestowed on or promised to a person in a position of trust to pervert his judgment or corrupt his conduct, and (2) Something that serves to induce or influence. A sage once said that if someone gives something to another and that gift changes or influences their relationship, then that gift is a bribe. Not all campaign contributions are bribes. Clearly, when a large number of citizens donate $100 or $200 to someone running for office, then there isn't much likelihood that those donations will have much influence on the relationship between the donors and the recipient. However, when a contributor gives $1,000, $5,000, $10,000 or more, it is clear that such a donation will get the personal attention of the politician involved and have an impact on how that politician will vote or exercise his or her influence. The preceding paragraph leads to a good rule of thumb to judge whether a politician is likely to be influenced by campaign donations. There is a ritual that is common with the more crude donors and the politicians they want to buy a share of. A lobbyist, acting on behalf of the corporation or organization seeking to influence a candidate, will arrange a meeting and sit down across the table from the politician and his campaign staff. After preliminary courtesies, the lobbyist will pull out his or her checkbook and lay it down on the table in full sight of the politician. It doesn't take much for a politician to realize that if he or she wants that lobbyist to write a check, the politician had better say what the lobbyist wants to hear. There are no overt statements in the preceding scenario about exchanging one thing for another. The lobbyist and the politician are protected from charges of bribery, but no one is fooled as to the reality of the interchange. One of the major problems with campaign financing and reform has been giving personhood to corporations. See Railroad Barons are Back for a historical perspective regarding this issue. See also Links to Campaign Finance Reform Web Sites, What Democracy Would Look Like if it Really Worked, and Economics, Economic Justice, and Running: Politics, Power, and the Press by Harry Lonsdale |
"The American way is to seduce a man by bribery and make a prostitute of him. Or else to ignore him, starve him into submission and make a hack out of him." Henry Miller
"A Lobbyist is a person that is supposed to help a Politician to make up his mind, not help him but pay him." Will Rogers
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