The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Rise of Income Inequality (Part IV)
22 August 2017 | Pago Pago, American Samoa
Kimball Corson
VII. CEOs have bought off Congress
Here is the amount of big money spent just on direct lobbying of Congress in the last decade.This does not include campaign contributions. This is lobbying money spent to get things wanted from congress, not help members get into office.
US Chamber of Commerce $1,369,025,680
National Assn of Realtors $437,201,271
American Medical Assn $363,697,500
General Electric $350,252,000
American Hospital Assn $337,048,849
Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America $324,755,300
Blue Cross/Blue Shield $308,010,064
AARP $269,441,064
Boeing Co $251,693,310
Northrop Grumman $250,182,213
Business Roundtable $239,080,000
Exxon Mobil $238,272,742
Lockheed Martin $234,707,278
Verizon Communications $226,357,043
AT&T Inc $221,985,644
Edison Electric Institute $212,716,789
National Assn of Broadcasters $207,248,000
Southern Co $204,630,694
National Cable & Telecommunications Assn $193,830,000
Altria Group $182,185,200
Then we have campaign contributions to help get candidates into office.
See, https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php?cycle=ALL Much corporate effort is buried here in PAC donations, use of trade associations and other surrogate and prophylactic organizations.
What is clear is Congress is bought off by big corporate money, much of it dark money contributed through 501(c) organizations which don't have to disclose the money's donors as here. This is a big loophole.
https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php?cycle=ALL
(to be continued)