February 28, 2018

Who is Really in Power?

How Corporations influence America’s Political System
By​ ​Aly Winn

Since the 1990s, the influence of business in America’s political system has drastically
increased through campaign contributions and lobbying. The leverage corporations
have is so great that our government has become less about the people and more for
the benefit and protection of big business. Behind closed doors our representatives
collude with the top 1% of Americans to ensure that the legislation benefits the bottom
line, not the greater society.

A ​study​ completed by Harvard

Business Review illustrates that
corporations, and the executives
within them, value their
relationships in Washington so
much that they have regularly
spent more lobbying in congress
than on their capital expenses.
The practice of influencing
government has become a
multibillion-dollar business
where companies hire lobbyist
to push their agenda and shape
policymaking. The figure on the
left from the ​Center of
Responsive Politics​ illustrates
the increase of lobbying
spending to a height of $3.34
Billion in 2017.

In 2013, the Center for

Responsive Politics released a ​report​ illustrating the alarming presence of corporate
lobbyists in congress, outnumbering members of congress 23 to 1 (shown in figure 2).
The constant proximity has resulted in corporate lobbyists actually writing, not just
influencing, legislation. One example, highlighted by Lee Drutman of The Atlantic, was
the proposition of Medicare Part D by pharmaceutical companies. In this case
pharmaceutical lobbyists introduced the idea to have Medicare include prescription drug
benefits but prohibited drugs to be purchased in bulk. The lobbyists created the
legislation to ultimately benefit their supporters with an estimated $205 billion profit.
The relationship between the private sector and
government is more intertwined than ever through
the revolving door of lobbyists taking legislative and
enforcement roles. This trend is obvious in the
financial industry and is highlighted in the 2010
documentary ​Inside Job​. This relationship only
serves to benefit special interests of corporations
especially when regulatory agencies are taken over
by corporate lobbyists. The Trump administration is
has continued to combine private interests with
government affairs. This is evident when President
Trump appointed Carl Icahn, the billionaire investor
that contributed to Trump’s campaign, as a special
advisor. Icahn’s position allows him to exert
influence over committees and agencies that will
ultimately benefit his own investments. He does not
advocate for the best interest of the people, his
motivations are purely for ​his own economic gain​.

Corporate power over policy will contribute to the

rise of wealth inequality in America because it
neglects to act on the interests of the common
people. Representatives are controlled by their
campaign contributions, Mother Jones reveals the
‘​campaign cash​’ behind congress. How can they
represent their constituents when they are more
incentivised by the check written by big
corporations?

The American people have to demand a change in

the current political process, not limited reform.
People, you have to be more involved in politics to
understand what is at stake. The system should
support fair representation for all Americans, limits
on campaign donations and lobbying should
decreased so government elects are accountable
to the people not to corporations.