We’ve seen massive amounts of dark money in politics co-opt and buy our former democracy wholesale. This was especially clear in the post-Citizen’s United elections in the U.S., with special interests, corporations and/or lobbyists spending billions of dollars (that they otherwise argue they need to keep hold of with preferential legal and legislative treatment).
Wall Street, in particular, holds sway over the thinking in Washington, D.C. Our elected policy-makers are increasingly owned, or at least bought and paid for, in other words; whores. So they’re exercising their freedom of speech, and just as with their other shady deal-making, they tend to bet big. Wall Street gave big to the Democrats and Obama in particular in 2008. They gave to him early on before backing Romney as ‘one of their own’ in the financial sector.
But is there anything to the idea that their toxic objectivism is severely conservative nowadays? Open Secrets Blog, a great research site from the Center for Responsive Politics that was instrumental during the election, before and since, for exposing the flow of money from profiteering barons to pandering politicians. It seems they are, in fact, trending Republican:
According to the latest Center for Responsive Politics analysis, there has been a defined shift in campaign giving by commercial banks and securities and investment firms , which now heavily favor Republican candidates.
Picture:OpenSecrets.org
For the record, this is only a trend. A steep and extreme trend, but a trend nonetheless. This may be an artifact of being an election year, and it does appear that a similar amount was spent as in 2008, just not split between the two candidates and overwhelmingly for “their guy.”
Although, I personally don’t believe there is much of difference, since national politics is mostly a game where Republicans and Democrats play-fight for the public while betraying voters on a daily basis.
I highly recommend Open Secrets for your references, as they will shine light on corruption of any moneyed group or politician, regardless of their claimed affiliation.
