Influence on U.S. Government - Essay Sample

Introduction

United States government has been seized by corporations, where the corporations' economic power has been converted into political power with a tremendous effect on people's lives. According to Sen. Sheldon, those wealthy corporations with no remorse have entered into politics to acquire advantages that come with having control over the government. Corporations have a great influence on the U.S government in many ways. They control all government regulations, hence depriving people of their democracy provided by the United States constitutions, violating the business's organizational ethics. Rebalancing of the democracy should be done through revising the rules and bound money's powers over government hence reducing the influence corporations on the U.S government.

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Politics

The empowerment of people to engage in politics can become a counterforce for the power of money. The American government is not responsive to her people since there is the authority of vast money over public organizations. The threat of corporate capture was recognized in1816 by our forefathers. Therefore it is not a new crisis we have faced before and overcame (Whitehouse, 2017). Corporations challenge the government on the power strength and defy the laws governing their country. The Supreme Court upheld corporate political spending rules in a case overrule by citizens united. The court's conservative majority has awarded the corporation powers by changing people's democracy rudimentary operating systems, giving big corporate powers an advantage.

Interests of the corporate can immensely outspend public interest groups on elections. For instance, in 2014, the labor group spent $215 million on State aspirants and committees, but the business interests spent $1.1 billion (Whitehouse, 2017). The development of dark money channels has immerged, which blocks answerability and denies voters information by hiding the political spender's identity, allowing them to drive their agendas and points of view in silence. Dark money has led to devastation politics since it involves negative campaigns and political fliers that are deceptive. Corporations are also involved in lobbying decision-makers and designated officials; they influence laws and ensure they are passed to favor them.

Federal Agencies

President Donald Trump has been in power for a short time; however, the revolving door among industry and the federal agencies modifying them is back since the limits of lobbyists winning posts at agencies required to influence the administration has loosened corporations' behalf. For example, a lobbyist for the pharmaceutical industry and health insurance companies (Mathur et al., 2015).; a lobbyist for the construction industry; a lobbyist in the Department of Energy, and continuing merging of private business interest with the government according to Eric Lipton at The New York Times. They hijack tenders in the government before they even reach the public domain hence providing unhealthy competition in the market (Palazzo, 2007). Violation of business ethics among corporations is evident.

The unhealthy competition provided by these corporations in America has affected other business owners in the United States, especially the small business owners who are genuinely conducting business with integrity. Corporations influence government officials into securing multibillion-dollar deals rendering other businesses crippled and eventually closing down. For instance, "special advisor to the president," Carl Icahn, the billionaire owner of an oil refinery, saved his refinery more than $200 million; the United States is being run by wealthy people who always put their interests first(Whitehouse, 2017). Trump’s cabinet has concentrated wealth more than that of one-third of American households. Corporates are enriching themselves at the expense of others, depriving others of their freedom of democracy.

Democracy

The rule of the rich is posing a threat to American democracy. Congress is unable to stand up to corporate power since the corporate money is calling the shots. The American people have the power to demand a rigged economy, benefiting the rich at the expense of the many. Congress should break the connection that gives the corporate power opportunity to exploit the system. They should also demand the abolition of toxic politics of personal destruction and exposure of dark money interests funding many politicians.

The Americas should also prohibit foreign corporate money elections regarding the dreadful scandal interference of Russia in America's democracy. We should not entertain illusions; instead, fight for the democratic society and protect the democratic freedom from being corrupted with the few greedy rich corporations since we have all seen the power of corporate power over the people's power. The lobbyists should be stopped from acting as campaigners and being used as representatives of corporate clients. The Supreme Court should forbid the use corporate money in funding politicians who in turn provide a platform for corporate power in the government. Anyone found to break the rules and regulations put in place should face the full force of the law.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, the rules must be revised for the democracy to work and stop the corporate influence of government and create an impartial system that ensures representation of all Americans equitably. Corporate power should be seized to provide a fair environment for business owners, whether small businesses or corporations, to promote a good business with ethics.

References

Mathur, P., Srivastava, S., & Mehta, J. L. (2015). High Cost of Healthcare in the United States-A Manifestation of Corporate Greed. J Forensic Med, 1(1), 1000103
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Pankaj_Mathur2/publication/316502006_High_Cost_of_Healthcare_in_the_United_States-A_Manifestation_of_Corporate_Greed/links/591dfb91a6fdcc233fceb016/High-Cost-of-Healthcare-in-the-United-States-A-Manifestation-of-Corporate-Greed.pdf

Palazzo, G. (2007). Organizational integrity—understanding the dimensions of ethical and unethical behavior in corporations. In Corporate ethics and corporate governance (pp. 113-128). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
https://ir.ucc.edu.gh/jspui/bitstream/123456789/2989/1/%5BWalther_Ch_Zimmerli%2C__Klaus_Richter%2C__Markus_Holz%28BookZZ.org%29.pdf#page=113

Whitehouse, S. (2017). Captured: The Corporate Infiltration of American Democracy. New Press, The.
https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=eyy4DQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT8&ots=hlm5VE5P9G&sig=mSgB50tSJ49kqW7iehn0hAlP0zI&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false.