The Source of Funding for PACs in America - Essay Example

Role of PACs Introduction America is one of the countries in the world where money and politics are intertwined. This has been evident in many cases as the candidates use a larger amount of money in campaigns. Despite the laws put in place, very minimal change has been realized as the laws are not followed to the later leading to some loopholes. The history of America states clearly when the abuse of money started as a result of too much funding to the political parties presidential candidates. This has in many occasions worked against presidential or other contestant who have not been able to raise money to the expected standard hence falling victim of circumstance. President Theodre Roosevelt in 1905 brought laws which could govern the conducts of aspirants during the campaign in order to reduce the abuses which had been reported. With him, came the Campaign Finance Act, which led to the limitation of wealthy individuals and special interest groups from funding aspirants. By this time, Political Action Committee (PAC) has been existing and they have had responsibilities in supporting the candidates and used a lot of money leading to the abuses. The successive developments in the PACs have been crucial in influencing the American political campaign as many of them are found of giving a larger amount of money to candidates with most recorded going to the presidential candidates and senators as well as governess. This paper will examine the roles of PACs and their activities in relation to presidency, congress among other things. Funding of Supper PACs The source of funding for PACs has for over the years remained unrealistic as many of the acts passed have not been effective in managing the sources of funding to the candidates in efforts to minimize the election abuses. There have been a lot of funding sources to the PACs which have not been legitimized but, they are working showing how much the federal election commission is reluctant in putting the law into force. According to the federal Election Commission act of 1971, there was regulation of campaign spending and deterred abuses which were not to be disclosed to the public, as well as the individual’s contribution to the PACs. The act limited the individual’s contribution to $ 5,000 per year; it bared corporate organization and unions from directly contributing to the federal PACs. The act allowed the PACs to solicit contributions from executives, shareholders and members of their families. Since then, PACs have been solely mandated to solicit funds from individuals to a certain amount and prohibited unions and corporations from funding money for campaigns but instead for meeting administrative costs. However, the situation has since changed as the case file between Citizens United and the federal election commission in the Supreme Court allowed PACs to get unlimited funding from unions and corporations. PACs have a wider sources of funding ranging from cooperate organizations to individuals shares contributions (Welch et al 242). PACs Agenda The agenda of PACs has been to campaign for their presidential candidates in every manner. This has been achieved through spreading negative propaganda against their opponents by smearing campaign. They are meant to look for tactics and campaign strategies which will make their candidates excel through influencing more preferences towards him or her. Their agenda is to influence voters through mass adverts in the media which will be in their favor and goes against their opponents. Throughout their activities, they have influenced the outcome of the presidential and congress outcome as well as influencing the public opinion and participation by the roles they play in campaigns for or against candidates. This has made them have a crucial agenda in determining the outcome of the presidential election, as well as the voter’s participation through the use of money (Luhr par 3). Similarly, they have an outstanding role in influencing the congress towards implementing policies, which will degrade the sitting president incase the PACs is campaigning against. They promote attack advertisements without releasing who is behind them which are meant to threaten their opponents in order to be on their favor. The agenda of PACs has not only promoted the campaigns of other presidential candidates but also to a larger extent demoralize potential aspirant. This is because the majority of the aspirants are scared of the mass adverts used in the media to put them in a bad picture as a result of large sums of money being used to influence and manipulate voters. This has been the agenda since they want everything to be on their favor hence doing all they can in order to win a majority of the audience. Who gains? The gain from PACs activities has been cutting across since all parties benefit to a certain degree. This has been from the fact that they too fund other organizations that can pay loyalty to them by supporting their mission plans. This has to a larger extent made them benefit from money being given to them by PACs. Cooperate organizations have benefited too in return from the support they give to the presidential candidates and other members of congress. This has been witnessed as a result of more policies being implemented which are in their favor and creating a favorable environment for doing business. However, the candidates whose policies are being supported have been the key beneficiaries as the agenda is being influenced to be on their favor. This is successfully done through influencing the voters to vote on their favor. Operations of PACs PACS operates in a detailed manner depending with situations and the members who have formed it since they vary in terms of membership. In most cases, PACs are made of member’s from corporations, unions, trade associations and people with different ideologies. They have committees which determine the amount of money the candidates will get depending on the contribution. The small committee formed identifies their candidates to be supported from the contributions. PACs maximize their influence through channeling their energy to the most powerful congress members to deal with issues affecting them for redress. This was witnessed in 1986 when the PACs were advancing the interest of financial institutions and banks making them contribute upto $3.4 million to members of the house and senate committees (Welch et al 340). They also operate by donating money to incumbents who have historically been difficult to unseat so as to receive favors from them. This has to a larger extent influenced the American electoral results which have worked in favor of the incumbents. How they Affect Policy Changes Supper PACs have been influencing policies in the government through carrying out a number of activities which are meant at making them gain. They lobby for support in congress to make policies which ensure their business is not affected by the policies put in place but to act on their favor. This has been witnessed in many aspects as PACs organizations come together and contribute money which they use in influencing the policy makers hence recommending polices which will be in their favor. The wealthy congress men whom to a larger extent have relationships with the super PACs always work in their favor since they too have an interest in the policies to be formed and this makes them influence the policies which go in their favor. Similarly, PACs have been engaged in influencing policies, which are directly related to their interest. In many aspects, it has been viewed to be responsible in affecting the way work visa is allocated to the non US citizens seeking works. This has influenced the way policies are made and meant to keep away competition by denying many aspirants the visa all across the sector. However, this has resulted to more visas being given to sectors where PACs activities are being carried out, and the policies they support. They influence the policies which deal with the labor movement in order to get favor from the policies which will be enacted (Facchini and Mayda). This action has to a larger extent defined how policies are made in America and they are to work at the interest of the PACs organization that is to benefit. Enactment of law PACs work in achieving their interest by influencing the policies as well as the enactment of laws. Studies on the influence of voting have significantly pointed out that to larger extent PACs have influence in determining it. They make it difficult for the congress to enact laws since PACs influences the number of those who vote hence affecting the quorum or numbers. They work with people who favor their status quo and they enjoy their advantage. Their role is therefore, to influence the voting on those who have different ideologies from theirs in order to maintain the status quo. This has been the way they operate in influencing the enactment of laws in the congress. Incase this does not work in their favor, they usually lead legislators to pay attention to issues they fail to address hence again influencing the content of the policy (Peoples). This leads to drafting model legislation or new legislations, which might be on their favor as well as meeting their interest. Enforcement of Law PACs have been working to preserve their interest by avoiding the enforcements of laws by the congress. This is through lobbying and influencing the members of congress as well as the legislators in enacting them. One of this influences occurred in 2007 when the sugar industry successfully campaigned to preserve its ten year government subsidy. Similar one was witnessed when housing industry avoided the enactment of laws which was going to affect the potential home buyers (Sheppard 389). Many congressmen vote for their favor ones they are given money at the expense of the common American citizens. The finances of PACs have always determined who runs for congress elections as many people who win are the most funded candidates. The funded legislators by PACs equally influence their counterparts in the enforcement of the policies as they work in meeting their interest and maintaining the status quo. This will not only work against the government but will also put the citizens in danger as there will be no enforcement of laws which works in their interest but instead will favor other few individuals and companies. Conclusion Supper PACs have influenced the outcome of the election process through the activities they carry out. They address agendas which are meant at ensuring they influence the voting pattern of the voters and public opinion which works on their favor. Supper PACs organization serves their interest through financing the political campaigns of the presidential candidates, congressmen which will be implementing policies on their favor. Without policies being put in place, PACs activities and agenda will still influence the outcome of the electoral process Works Cited Facchini, Giovanni and Mayda, Anna.”Do interest groups affect US immigration Policy”. Journal of international politics. 85(1). September 2011. pp114-128 Luhr, Marlena. “Stop Super PACs: Stand against cooperate money election”. Roosevelt Institute. Feb, 2012. Web. April 22, 2-012. Accessed from: Peoples, C. D.”CONTRIBUTOR INFLUENCE IN CONGRESS: Social Ties and PAC Effects on U.S. House Policymaking”. The Sociological Quarterly. 51: 2010. pp649–677. Print Shepard John. Cengage Advantage Books: Sociology. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning, 2012. Print. Welch, Susan, et al. Understanding the American Government. Boston, MA: Wadsworth. Print Read More