Money Talks: Corporate Pacs and Political Influence

Believers in democracy should read this distressing account of political economics. The authors, university sociologists who conducted surprisingly candid (though anonymous) interviews with political action committee managers of major corporations, demonstrate how a politically unified American business community influences legislation through PAC contributions to congressional election campaigns. Further, the authors found that corporations, without paying directly for favors, commonly gain ``access'' to lawmakers through fund-raising events, lucrative lectures, golf foursomes, air travel and so on to create ``an atmosphere of dependency'' that can lead to unpublicized tax breaks or pollution exemptions. AT&T, for example, in 1983-1985 achieved tax-free status for $25 billion in profits while investing a mere $1.4 million in PAC campaign contributions, according to the authors. (Sept.)