Big business influences politicians in many ways. One little-recognized channel is the money companies and their foundations give the nonprofits politicians like.
The nation’s biggest gun advocacy group operates as a bundle of distinct organizations. It’s a fairly common arrangement, followed also by the likes of Planned Parenthood and the ACLU.
In Kenya, the overwhelming majority of political contributions come from a tiny number of individuals. This model of financing turns politics into a high-stakes game that very often turns violent.
As the rest of the world watches the circus that has been the 2016 US presidential campaign, questions about how the elections and candidates are being financed continue to be raised.
Political funding in Australia is governed by different rules for state (some of which do not require disclosure) and federal governments. And both levels suffer significant weaknesses.
Our political donations disclosure regime is so opaque, we don’t really know who’s paying how much and what they get in return. But the lengths players go to hide donations gives cause for suspicion.
Every time there’s a scandal involving political finance, politicians from unaffected parties talk about the public’s outrage. But how much do people actually care?
The struggle for political equality has shaped Australian democracy. This is undermined by a fragmented political donations system that can be easily evaded.
The Greens are set to play a significant role in the election campaign and the new parliament. They are looking for gains in the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Vast majorities of Americans espouse “socialist” views, which has helped propel Bernie Sanders in the polls. Yet our system of campaign finance makes it next to impossible for him to win.
Charles Lewis, American University School of Communication
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