Who is taking corporate money?: the futile effort to get money out of politics

The “Occupy” movement is now promoting a pledge to get corporate money out of politics. Of course, what they fail to realize is that money (like life) will always find a way into politics because governments have the power to create or destroy businesses with the stroke of a pen. But that’s a different story.

What is more interesting is that Democrats both in New Mexico and nationally (who often claim to share the goals of the “Occupy” movement) are more dependent on corporate contributions than are Republicans. Check this story and this one from New Mexico Watchdog. And there’s Eric Griego who proudly signed the pledge, but is still planning to take corporate contributions for his campaign for the U.S. House.

Lastly, there is President Obama, supposedly the defender of the poor and downtrodden. According to Tim Carney, author of the book “Obamanomics,” the president received far more from America’s biggest corporations. I have gleaned a few details from the book and posted them below, but the whole book is worth the read (and Carney may be coming to New Mexico later this year).

Goldman Sachs was the source of more campaign contributions in 2008 than any other company. Obama received $997,095 to McCain’s $230,095.

Obama received $19.4 million from the health care industry in 2008. McCain received $7.4 million.

HMO’s gave Obama three times more money than McCain.

Drug companies gave Obama $3.57 for each dollar McCain raised from the industry.

The biggest oil company in America, Exxon gave Obama $117,946 to McCain’s $73,326.

Of course, Obama portrays his policies as being “on behalf of the little guy,” when in reality his policies equate to “crony capitalism” or “corporatism.” This is not to say that Republicans are never guilty of the same thing, but to make it clear that money will ALWAYS play a role in politics if government can use threats of force to take from one group and give to another.