Major Corporation's Involvement in U.S. Politics - Paper Sample

Introduction

This study argues that through campaign funding and generous donations, major corporations have taken control of the United States politics and government. It is crucial to understand the criteria the tycoons and wealthy business owners use to lure politicians into their corruption trap when enacting critical public policies (Mendilow, 2014). The study will also consider counterarguments by other scholars who differ with the view that large organizations entirely dominate U.S. politics, and the ordinary citizens have been sidelined in development agendas and policies. The focus will also be on the role the Congress has played in enacting policies that limit politicians' chances of being influenced through campaign funds. The public view on the roles the Congress and the government have played in the social problems such as unemployment, reduced wages, discriminative policies, and the extent to which they link the corporations' challenges will be analyzed.

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Literature Review

Congress's popularity has been affected by the corporation's control. A research carried out by Tom Jensen regarding Congress's popularity showed that Congress was less popular than both cockroaches and pubs (Haselmayer, 2019). The criticism by individuals represents the majority of U.S. citizens' views on the government, which is on the verge of complete loss of trust. According to Halesmayer (2019), different bodies of the government that is Judiciary, Executive, and Congress are under the control of the corporations who decide how vital functions such as wealth sharing is performed. In addition to the discriminatory revenue sharing, the rights of the ordinary citizens have been ignored or rarely considered by the body that is given the mandate to uphold the liberty and work for the common good. The American election has been regarded as expensive, making it hard for those unable to raise campaign funds to rise to leadership positions. Therefore, it has become very easy for corporations to control any leader of their choice by providing campaign funds.

Introduction of law governing corporations funding of campaigns has created a loophole for internet control. Research by Mills (2012), concluded that the Congress redesigning regulations governing paramount for easing on government control by wealthy individuals. After campaign reforms that were enacted fifteen years ago, campaign rules, organization, and technology were reorganized (Mills, 2012). The laws enacted to govern the campaigns were known as the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) (Mills, 2012). Although corporations have been limited from channeling their funds towards supporting a candidate of their choice, non-profit companies are excluded (Mills, 2012). Therefore, wealthy individuals have focused on establishing the non-regulated corporations where they support leaders during the election period and control them once they are elected.

Government bodies have been incapacitated from passing restrictive policies. According to Beder (2012), corporates manage to control the government despite the restricting congress reforms. The corporation uses indirect channels such as advertisement, hiring toll armies, and even bribing people to support their preferred candidate (Beder, 2012). The uncontrolled funding results in government capture, affecting the majority while developing the lives of a few wealthy individuals. Beder (2012) noted that funding leads to the inability of those representing people to pass laws that safeguard the environment is making the environment be exposed to pollution from wealthy group companies. Most corporations that look for shortcuts to avoiding control by legal bodies deal with hazardous productions, discriminative employment, poor working standards, and disregard for regulations set to protect customers. The government officials fail to set rules that ban them from continuing with their operations due to the massive amounts of money channeled to their campaigns.

Research Design and Methodology

The research question under investigation is whether the involvement of the corporations in U.S. politics can be ascribed to the vast problems affecting the public. The study comprised of non-experimental research on variables that cannot be controlled. Case studies were utilized to comprehend how politics is affected by corporations. From the recent news headline in the United States of America, President Donald Trump's impeachment plan case study was a reference point to show how forces outside the USA congress were working to overthrow his leadership. In addition to the Trump Impeachment, the case studies of how Congress has failed to implement various policies opposed by major corporations and its impact on the trust the public has on their capabilities were also be analyzed. The research also focused on the regulations imposed by Congress to control campaign funding, which is identified as the main problem leading to house control by cartels.

Public opinion data was collected using surveys and questionnaires. The questionnaires comprised questions on how the government has failed to deliver on their mandate and how tycoons and cartels associated with vital political leaders contribute to the overall suffering in the society, yet no action is taken against them. Interviews were essential design employed in data collection. The research focused on the politicians, public, and other critical stakeholders in the U.S. The interviews were conducted based on prior arrangements with the interviewee, and the questions focused on the views on campaign funding as a weapon against the politicians. The interviews with politicians aimed at understanding whether they are any strings attached to the money they receive as donations from wealthy individuals and businesses and whether they impact their policy-making role negatively. This study also utilized a literature review from scholars who researched the corporation involvement politics and its impact on the nation.

Arguments

Dark money funding is a common practice among political aspirants. Political candidates have a responsibility to choose their source of campaigning finances depending on the obligations and demands to be fulfilled on the financing laws. The corporations and firms have proven their significant contribution to candidates' funding as they fulfill their plan to achieve the perceived benefits. The funding parties take the pleasure to ensure political success in the whole state by funding their candidates and planning and advising on the essential strategies to achieve the ultimate objective (Aizenberg & Müller, 2020). The United States has well-dictated financing rules about political positions in the country, and the incumbents are subjected to adhere and meet the defined requirements. Apart from the government, external financing receives a few different rules to govern their funding, not like the government-funded candidates. The government funding subjects its aspirants to exposure to practices that many people currently find unsustainable and prefer to pursue dark money funding to enjoy undefined fundraising limits.

In the history of American presidents, political banking by corporations has been evident. The presidential race requires large capitation, which is impossible to raise as a single person. Therefore, fundraisers are organized as wealthy people in the society supporting the candidature of the person meets and discusses ways in which they can contribute to the candidate's win. Although, in most cases, the agenda is hidden, some demand for favors such as government contracts and tenders ones the person is elected. The criteria for purchasing public resources requires that the bodies responsible exercise the utmost professionalism to protect the taxpayers' money. However, the correct criteria are not followed during the awarding of tenders leading to misuse of public funds. When the government mismanages the money meant for development projects and raising the standard of living of its citizen, the country becomes destined for failure.

From the questionnaires issued to the public, more than 60% of the people attributed unemployment and other social problems to political failure (Persily, 2018). The money ought to have been spent on the development of agendas. An establishment of amenities that can provide jobs to the youths has been squandered through corruption. Based on the statistics provided, the government mandate, which delivers the best quality services to all its citizens, has been replaced with greed and desire to pay back the campaign financiers. In the past, companies attempting mergers yarn to control the government ensure that restrictions imposed favor their call. Most mergers aim at reducing completion rather than developing the industry. However, due to the support given to the politicians by the companies, they support the mergers, which leads to massive job loss, unfair competition, and production of substandard as a result of having monopoly power (Renneboog & Vansteenkiste, 2019). Therefore, the corporate support in campaigns is beneficial to the politicians but costly to ordinary citizens.

Corporation’s involvement in politics has affected the country's democracy. According to Foreman (2018), money has become an integral part of becoming competitive in an election. Democracy dictates for the will of the majority who are mostly poor and middle-income individuals. However, due to the influence corporations have in determining the outcomes of an election, the will of the wealthy individuals is the one that prevails at the expense of democracy. In a country governed by individuals who have the best interest of only a given social status group, development becomes impossible to achieve. Foreman (2018) noted that to limit corporations' influence on U.S. politics, the rules governing campaign funding should be reformed. The restrictive congress policies create a loophole for the tycoons to support candidates indirectly through non-profit organizations or directly using direct financing. Therefore, although the policies aim to control funding, they only limit people with no access to the organizations hence affecting their candidature negatively.

Conclusion

Ethical guidelines have been ignored by corporations funding political campaigns. The legitimacy of a corporation's involvement in politics and the kind of activities it can undertake is specified in the corporation's ethical guidelines (Neron, 2016). Corporations have been restricted to the extent to which they can be involved in corporate social responsibilities in the political field. However, instead of undertaking activities that are beneficial for the public, they chose shortcuts and bribe the politicians through campaign funding. Therefore, the involvement of corporations in political activities is at the expense of other vital functions. Market failure is directly linked to the mismanagement of the corporation’s funds in political undertakings.