Michael Perelman:
An alternative explanation is that you can buy a vote on a particular
issue relatively cheaply. The test would be when you have clashing
corporate interests, does the cost go up -- as when Jay Gould and Cmmdr.
Vanderbilt were bidding for judges and legislators to support their
respective interest viz-a-viz the Erie Railroad.
Also, I think it's true that corporate contributions to politicians sometimes cancel each other out, but together they promote a generalized corporate politics.
Second, the article didn't notice that corporate political contributions and lobbying expenditures can be -- and usually are -- complementary, part of a general campaign to influence policy.
JD
- [PEN-L:30443] RE: Re: RE: RE: Bushist militarism, Bill Rosenberg Sun 22 Sep 2002, 02:43 GMT
- [PEN-L:30441] RE: RE: Bushist militarism, Bill Rosenberg Sun 22 Sep 2002, 02:21 GMT
- [PEN-L:30442] Re: RE: RE: Bushist militarism, Michael Perelman Sun 22 Sep 2002, 02:41 GMT
- [PEN-L:30445] Re: Re: RE: RE: Bushist militarism, Anthony D'Costa Sun 22 Sep 2002, 03:53 GMT
- [PEN-L:30440] RE: Re: corporate poltiical [sic] contributions ove r-rated?, Devine, James Sun 22 Sep 2002, 00:38 GMT
- [PEN-L:30438] corporate poltiical contributions over-rated?, Devine, James Sat 21 Sep 2002, 23:19 GMT
- [PEN-L:30439] Re: corporate poltiical contributions over-rated?, Michael Perelman Sat 21 Sep 2002, 23:24 GMT
- [PEN-L:30444] Re: corporate poltiical contributions over-rated?, Ian Murray Sun 22 Sep 2002, 03:16 GMT
- [PEN-L:30437] Saddam, Spying, and Subversion, Devine, James Sat 21 Sep 2002, 22:44 GMT