Big Business Donations Shift to Democrats
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James Joyner | Saturday, October 28, 2006 |
It would appear that corporate America is hedging its bets, suddenly giving massive amounts of money to the Democrats.
Corporate America is already thinking beyond Election Day, increasing its share of last-minute donations to Democratic candidates and quietly devising strategies for how to work with Democrats if they win control of Congress. The shift in political giving, for the first 18 days of October, has not been this pronounced in the final stages of a campaign since 1994, when Republicans swept control of the House for the first time in four decades.
Though Democratic control of either chamber of Congress is far from certain, the prospect of a power shift is leading interest groups to begin rethinking well-established relationships, with business lobbyists going as far as finding potential Democratic allies in the freshman class — even if they are still trying to defeat them on the campaign trail — and preparing to extend an olive branch the morning after the election.
Certainly, this isn’t a function of corporations suddenly deciding that Democratic policy positions are in their best interests. This is influence peddling at its finest, with companies desperately seeking to ensure they will retain access to the halls of Congress if there is indeed a turnover in power.
This may be a better indicator than political “markets” like TradeSports, since these are some of the heaviest hitters.
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and infant daughter.
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But the democrats are pure at heart. How can you even accuse them of taking money from the people who won't pay a "living wage"?
Look to some bloodletting if the Republicans retain control of the House.
Whoever said the Democrats were pure at heart? They are a political party made up of flawed human beings just like the Republican Party...also, look at equally nasty bloodletting if the Republicans lose control of the House...
This brings up the old adage, "Follow the money". That's a much worse sign for Republicans than Tradesports. Politicians might be stupid but big business usually isn't. If their money is moving to Democrat coffers, they obviously aren't listening to Rove's analysis of the upcoming elections.
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