How Corporate Money Is Silencing Your Vote: The Dark Side of 'Democracy for Sale
- Henry Yeh
- Oct 31, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 2, 2024
By: Henry Yeh
With the recent 2010 Supreme Court case Citizens United v. FEC, corporations have had an increasing amount of political participation over the years. At first, this may seem beneficial as this means that political candidates will have an extended reach through increased funding. However, this corporate influence also brings a lot of problems, especially for regular citizens and the democratic process.
One issue is the concept of unlimited donation size. Corporations can now spend as much as they want on political campaigns through super PACs, giving them a huge advantage over individual voters. Candidates who receive massive support from big companies may feel obligated to prioritize corporate interests over the needs of everyday people. This creates an uneven playing field where politicians may be more focused on helping their big donors instead of working for everyone.
Another problem is the "iron triangle," which describes the close relationship between corporations, Congress, and government agencies. Corporations can lobby Congress and agencies to create policies that benefit their business. For example, pharmaceutical companies might push for laws that make it easier to charge higher prices for drugs. This cyclical relationship can lead to regulations and policies that protect profits but might hurt consumers or the environment.
Corporations also use their resources to flood the media with ads and messages that sway public opinion. They can present issues in ways that make them seem beneficial, even if they have hidden downsides. For example, an oil company might emphasize job creation while downplaying the environmental damage of a new project.
In summary, corporate influence in politics undermines the democratic idea of “one person, one vote.” Instead of representing everyone equally, politicians typically end up catering to the interests of the most powerful companies. This can make regular people feel like their voices don’t matter as much as the money backing corporations.
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