As a result of that fight, consumers found themselves out in the cold. I t is not just the colossal struggles of big-money interests on major legislative issues that show the need for reform. Tax loopholes and corporate-welfare giveaways manage to find their way into legislation with little or no public discussion. When that deal was exposed, the public outcry forced Congress to repeal it. Maybe Amway would have gotten its tax break and all major legislative fights would turn out exactly the same if the interested parties didn't make campaign contributions.
Public perception is important.
It affects whether people trust Congress to do the right thing. And it affects whether people feel it is worth participating in the political system on election day. The ACLU is a willing accomplice. The 1976 Supreme Court decision in Buckley v. Valeo , which threw out limits on campaign expenditures by candidates, is their battle cry. They argue that every reform proposal aimed at reducing the domination of the political system by big money violates the First Amendment.