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Essay on The Problem with PACs

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The Problem with PACs Over the past thirty years interest groups in America have gained more influence upon government officials and candidates for government office. Interest groups are "organizations of people with similar policy goals who enter the political process to achieve those aims." Interest groups have had a significant impact upon elections for many years and, since the invention of political action committees in 1974, PACs have increasingly donated more money to candidates in attempt to achieve their political goals. Interest groups can range from groups that support a woman's right to abortion to a group of businessmen that want to ensure no more government regulations are imposed on them. Interest groups can …show more content…

Corporate PACs represent the interests of the stockholders and employees with common political interests. PAC campaign contributions on congressional votes in recent years are "distorting the democratic process and corrupting our political system in favor of those who can raise the most money." The influence of corporate PACs on Congress has especially lead to "corporate welfare" and has cost taxpayers billions of dollars in recent years. For instance, Congress failed to regulate tobacco and cigarette advertising due to the $30 million dollars worth of PAC contributions from tobacco companies over the 90's until it recently passed restrictions on such advertising. Also the timber industry prevailed against a Clinton administration proposal in 1997 to eliminate logging subsidies because of the industry's $8 million in PAC contributions. This sheltering of such industries is a clear example of how the contributions of PACs influence the "buying" of congressional votes. People that side with the influence of PACs argue that the contributions are given from groups that the candidates already agree with anyway. But if most people in the general public, and including elected officials, agree that the use of tobacco is harmful and natural resources should be preserved, why do tobacco companies and logging companies that destroy the nation's forests maintain their rights when voted on in Congress? The answer must be due to the influence of PAC

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