Question

Analyze and discuss why the top corporate and trade PACs are the top political contributors.

Answer 1

Sometimes influential companies and trade groups use affiliated PACs to promote candidate campaigns aligned with their financial priorities to improve their clout in Washington. PACs representing corporate interests have now donated 179 million dollars to this cycle of federal candidates and party committees. Such well-funded corporate PACs account for 73 percent of overall PAC contributions, dwarfing trade union campaigns and centered organizations.

For some of the biggest PAC donors including Comcast, Pfizer, Home Depot, UBS Americas and UnitedHealth Group, over 99 percent of their reported expenditure to the Federal Election Commission is made up of political donations. Grassroots political groups are arguing that the new rules create an unequal playing field in the PAC giving nation. Those businesses can increase their political giving by paying for PAC expenses with corporate funds. In the other hand, issue-focused PACs will raise money from supporters to pay for salaries and high campaign fees.

A handful of political parties have arisen urging lawmakers to turn down money on corporate interests. All of the top Democratic presidential candidates signed on to the agreement to exclude funding from fossil fuel companies and PACs from the Sunrise Movement. Dozens of Democrats in Congress have vowed to oppose corporate PAC money, an initiative led by the liberal End Citizens United campaign.