How do you feel about politicians and this sort of thing? Taking money from oil and others? Conflict of interest? How do think politicians should handle that, like, say politicians in oil producing states?
People, corporations, PACs, want to buy access to politicians to influence them. This is an interesting list of the heavy-hitters. I was amazed that BP is 109 on the list.
HEAVY HITTERS
Top All-Time Donors, 1989-2010
View party split for:
LEGEND: Republican Democrat On the fence
= Between 40% and 59% to both parties
= Leans Dem/Repub (60%-69%)
= Strongly Dem/Repub (70%-89%)
= Solidly Dem/Repub (over 90%)
Rank Organization Total '89-'09 Dem % Repub % Tilt
1 AT&T Inc $44,939,504 44% 55%
2 American Fedn of State, County & Municipal Employees $42,582,261 98% 1%
3 National Assn of Realtors $36,258,773 48% 51%
4 Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers $31,985,445 97% 2%
5 American Assn for Justice $31,967,129 90% 8%
6 Goldman Sachs $31,837,427 63% 35%
7 National Education Assn $30,371,930 92% 6%
8 Laborers Union $29,255,050 92% 7%
9 Teamsters Union $28,339,684 93% 6%
10 Service Employees International Union $28,293,482 95% 3%
11 Carpenters & Joiners Union $28,024,933 89% 9%
12 American Federation of Teachers $27,464,891 98% 0%
13 Communications Workers of America $27,362,296 99% 0%
14 Citigroup Inc $27,301,168 50% 49%
15 American Medical Assn $26,358,705 39% 60%
16 United Auto Workers $26,241,902 98% 0%
17 Machinists & Aerospace Workers Union $25,403,277 98% 0%
18 National Auto Dealers Assn $24,679,658 32% 67%
19 United Parcel Service $24,482,514 36% 63%
20 United Food & Commercial Workers Union $24,456,633 98% 1%
21 Altria Group $24,104,416 27% 71%
22 American Bankers Assn $22,814,846 41% 58%
23 National Assn of Home Builders $22,385,155 36% 63%
24 EMILY's List $21,864,262 99% 0%
25 National Beer Wholesalers Assn $21,490,595 32% 67%
26 Microsoft Corp $20,528,373 53% 46%
27 JPMorgan Chase & Co $20,401,103 51% 48%
28 Time Warner $20,141,660 72% 27%
29 National Assn of Letter Carriers $19,796,434 88% 11%
30 Verizon Communications $19,012,426 40% 58%
31 Lockheed Martin $18,869,306 43% 56%
32 Morgan Stanley $18,809,351 45% 53%
33 General Electric $18,574,849 51% 48%
34 Pfizer Inc $18,539,929 29% 70%
35 AFL-CIO $18,283,596 95% 4%
36 FedEx Corp $18,135,841 40% 59%
37 Credit Union National Assn $17,759,678 48% 51%
38 Bank of America $17,525,168 47% 52%
39 National Rifle Assn $17,505,346 17% 82%
40 Ernst & Young $17,355,577 44% 55%
41 Sheet Metal Workers Union $17,048,813 97% 2%
42 Blue Cross/Blue Shield $16,916,604 40% 59%
43 American Dental Assn $16,845,029 46% 53%
44 Plumbers & Pipefitters Union $16,823,401 94% 5%
45 American Hospital Assn $16,791,979 53% 46%
46 International Assn of Fire Fighters $16,625,643 82% 17%
47 Operating Engineers Union $16,365,615 85% 14%
48 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu $16,351,771 35% 64%
49 Air Line Pilots Assn $15,910,777 84% 15%
50 PricewaterhouseCoopers $15,858,930 37% 62%
51 UBS AG $15,729,624 40% 58%
52 AFLAC Inc $15,287,719 44% 55%
53 Natl Assn/Insurance & Financial Advisors $15,219,354 43% 56%
54 Boeing Co $14,542,163 47% 51%
55 Union Pacific Corp $14,463,448 25% 74%
56 Merrill Lynch $14,333,210 37% 61%
57 United Steelworkers $13,883,901 99% 0%
58 United Transportation Union $13,822,010 88% 10%
59 Reynolds American $13,475,552 24% 75%
60 Ironworkers Union $13,473,875 92% 7%
61 American Institute of CPAs $13,069,875 42% 57%
62 BellSouth Corp $12,993,782 45% 54%
63 Credit Suisse Group $12,779,752 44% 54%
65 National Rural Electric Cooperative Assn $12,324,371 51% 47%
66 American Postal Workers Union $12,285,973 95% 3%
67 General Dynamics $12,002,739 47% 52%
68 American Financial Group $11,486,855 18% 81%
69 GlaxoSmithKline $11,259,640 29% 70%
70 Walt Disney Co $11,047,327 67% 32%
71 Chevron $11,039,824 24% 75%
72 KPMG International $10,881,885 33% 66%
73 Exxon Mobil $10,856,793 14% 85%
74 National Air Traffic Controllers Assn $10,708,138 80% 19%
75 Natl Active & Retired Fed Employees Assn $10,558,000 77% 22%
76 Human Rights Campaign $10,168,827 90% 9%
77 MBNA Corp $10,059,006 17% 82%
78 UST Inc $9,938,811 21% 78%
79 Freddie Mac $9,878,290 43% 56%
80 Southern Co $9,869,244 31% 68%
81 National Restaurant Assn $9,839,545 16% 83%
82 AIG $9,738,962 50% 49%
83 Prudential Financial $9,600,149 48% 51%
84 MetLife Inc $9,579,442 55% 44%
85 American Academy of Ophthalmology $9,558,538 52% 47%
86 Wal-Mart Stores $9,460,485 26% 73%
87 American Health Care Assn $9,410,540 53% 45%
88 CSX Corp $9,330,329 32% 67%
89 General Motors $9,328,768 38% 60%
90 Eli Lilly & Co $9,308,416 29% 70%
91 National Cmte to Preserve Social Security & Medicare $9,306,857 80% 19%
92 American Maritime Officers $9,113,471 46% 53%
93 Associated General Contractors $9,048,191 14% 84%
94 National Cmte for an Effective Congress $8,707,940 99% 0%
95 Amway/Alticor Inc $8,641,471 0% 99%
96 Archer Daniels Midland $8,435,864 44% 55%
97 Seafarers International Union $8,407,144 84% 14%
98 American Airlines $8,269,091 47% 52%
99 MCI Inc $8,093,472 46% 53%
100 National Fedn of Independent Business $7,917,476 7% 92%
101 American Council of Life Insurers $7,765,552 37% 62%
102 Marine Engineers Beneficial Assn $7,454,877 74% 25%
103 Bristol-Myers Squibb $7,316,662 22% 77%
104 Enron Corp $6,546,585 29% 70%
105 Andersen $6,253,477 37% 62%
106 BP $6,212,279 29% 70%
107 Vivendi $4,626,040 66% 33%
Based on data released by the FEC on May 16, 2010.
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