Examine the beneficiaries of our government s corporate welfare programs. You ll discover the formula. A dollar in political contributions can earn 1000 times that investment. A million-dollars in soft money produces billions in defense contracts, subsidies, price supports, licenses, tax breaks, use of public lands or antitrust exemptions. Today s corporate political bosses agree.
Special interests give generously to both parties.
They don t care which of their nominees wins. Thirty years ago John Gardner, former secretary of the U.S. Health, Education and Welfare department, told me about an organization he proposed called Common Cause. Years later I served on its national board. We still don t have it. It turns out legislation can be passed only by incumbents.