alexrpt
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The recent analysis by the Sunlight Foundation sifted through 14 million corporate records, including data on campaign contributions, lobbying expenditures, federal budget allocations and spending, in order to determine the “rate of return” on lobbying and spending to buy political goodwill.
The results are beyond comprehensions, and only go to show that the most corrupt country on the planet, in terms of “money for political favors” is the United States of America.
Zerohedge reports…
According to the foundation’s analysis, between 2007 and 2012, 200 of America’s most politically active corporations spent a combined $5.8 billion (with a B) on federal lobbying and campaign contributions. What they gave pales compared to what those same corporations got: $4.4 trillion (with a T) in federal business and support.
Putting that in context, the $4.4 trillion total represents two-thirds of the $6.5 trillion that individual taxpayers paid into the federal treasury. Said otherwise, by “spending: a paltry $6 billion to bribe the US government, or just a little more than what GM will spend on stock buybacks alone, US corporations are getting the direct benefit of two-thirds of US taxpayers’ labor!
And here is the visual representation of this stunning finding: for every dollar spent on influencing politics, the nation’s most politically active corporations received $760 from the government.
Which translates into an Internal Rate Of Return of, hold on to your hats folks, 75,900%!
Like we said, speechless.
The Top 25 contributors should come as no big surprise with “too big to fail” financial institutions, arms manufacturers, and of course the “Vampire Squid” holding the top spot.
…at least under Obama regime of daily choreographed distraction, gays and lesbians can legally marry, illegal immigrants will no longer be deported and women have never been more “equal” with men. Oh and the repeat invasion of Afghanistan is solely to punish a few head-cutting terrorists (who got their funding, training and weapons with the blessings of Qatar and the CIA).
And don’t forget to bash that evil, evil regime in Russia where democracy is being trampled on a daily basis: the mainstream media which is also controlled by a handful of US billionaires, will have you know.
In fact, whatever you do just please ignore what is happening in the US right under everyone’s noses.
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The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
