Anyone that financially supports a certain political party obviously want their

1. 82

   molometerposted 12 years ago

   Anyone that financially supports a certain political party obviously want their interests promoted.
   
   If we want corporate donations banned. Isn't it also right that we should not allow donations from Labour Unions or other pressure groups?
   
   Political financing has developed over the many hundreds of years, into the current model.
   
   Many people feel that this model is out of date and needs to be replaced.
   
   A few powerful groups seem to control government policy. Is this true or just a perception?

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2. 61

   Peter Leeperposted 12 years ago

   Probably but corporations, although legally defined as such, are not people.  Unions, in theory, are simply workers that group together to ensure that corporate "greed" doesn't unfairly take its toll on the employees that make corporate profits possible.
   
   I think the only way politicians could "fairly" compete is by taking the money out of the equation as much as possible and make it so each serious politician running has equal time to get their message out there instead of the person with the most money being able to overwhelm everyone else.
   
   I beleive if this sort of system could be worked out, more high quality candidates may come forward AND grassroots efforts would become even more nessesary. 
   
   Of course, doing something like this would need tax payer money so It will probably never happen.
   Good question!

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3. 75

   Wesman Todd Shawposted 12 years ago

   It is absolutely true - your perception.
   
   In the USA there is the federal reserve crime cartel, and there is Ron Paul.

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4. 87

   Pamela99posted 12 years ago

   Labor unions have made huge donations for many years and I think they should be banned from making political contributions just like companies. Individual labor union members can make donations as they see fit.

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5. 73

   Robert Erichposted 12 years ago

   Sadly, I feel that powerful groups with an agenda of their own will always control governments. That's how tribal and national leaders have always been determined - the most powerful people decide who is in charge.
   
   Just as a corporation is speaking on the needs of just a few, forgetting about the rest, a labour union often does the same things. After all, if the big and evil corporations were put out of business, there would be no where for the labour union members to work and nothing to complain about.
   
   I believe that the key is we need to simply worry about ourselves. If I think something is important, I need to stand by it and promote it myself. If enough individual people pushed something among their friends and colleagues, it wouldn't matter how much money was thrown to an opposing candidate - relationships trump all.

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6. 0

   idratherbeposted 12 years ago

   Definately true, and needs to be changed.

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7. 60

   wingedcentaurposted 12 years ago

   Hi, molometer!
   
   How's it going?
   
   Of course, you're right: "Anyone that financially supports a certain political party obviously want their interests promoted." True enough. But I guess would emphasize 'anyone' as the operative word.
   
   What is a 'corporation'? Is a corporation an 'anyone'? What do you mean by the term 'corporation' in the context of political funding? Are we talking about the ENTIRE corporation, manager, executives, and wage-labor employees down to the janitorial staff (which is probably contracted out, come to think of it)?
   
   Or, are we talking about the board of directors of a 'corporation' and their biggest investors in the corporation?
   
   Now, you juxtaposed 'corporations' (board of directors and their biggest investors) alongside "Labour Unions" [and] "other pressure groups."
   
   As I understand it, Labour unions, for example, do go through some kind of democratic (small 'd') process as far as deciding where to put their collective funds politically -- and they do this among the ENTIRE membership of the union.
   
   I would be surprised to hear that corporate boards (and their investors) take a poll among the entire 'membership' of the enterprise (executives, middle management, supervisor, hourly employees and janitorial staff) in order to determine where to spend the corporate funds (which everybody, the entire membership of the firm from the CEO to the toilet scrubber helped to generate) politically.
   
   The board of directors (and their biggest shareholders) probably make those decisions among themselves with no input from down below. So, it really, really, really (Did I say 'really'?) depends on what, PRECISELY, one means by "corporations," "Labour Unions," and "other pressure groups."
   
   Take care.

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8. 0

   Hubert Williamsposted 12 years ago

   It seems to be very true Michael. I believe that all extreme donations should be banned, or at the least extremely minimized.

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