How Campaign Donations Can Break Down Barriers To Political Access- Hidden Unfairness

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well as the Federal Election Commission have websites where anyone can look up campaign contributions made on behalf of candidates. Curiosity got the better of me concerning the campaign contributions.

There has been a discussion in the business community about grants and loans that politicians bring back home from either Harrisburg or Washington. For example, if a restaurant receives a low interest loan for $1 million dollars it can hurt the competition in the area that does not have the same political access. In this case I looked at Robert Mericle and his companies because the growth and success of his business has been phenomenal when compared to others in the same business. I looked at contributions made by Robert Mericle and/or his business entities for the years 1998 through 2008 on a federal and a state level.

Here is the breakdown:

In 1998 Tom Ridge was the recipient of $36,000.00.

In 1999 The Ridge Leadership Fund received a $10,000.00 donation and Friends of Mike Fisher received $1,000.00

Oddly, nothing of significance was noted in the year 2000 data.

In 2001 The Ridge Leadership Fund receives another $10,000.00 and Robert Casey For Governor receives $16,000.00.

In 2002 Edward Rendell For Governor accepts $10,500.00 in donations. Fisher For Governor receives $10,000.00 and Robert Casey For Governor is given another $5,000.00

In 2003 Edward Rendell For Governor receives another $10,000.00 and Robert Casey For Treasurer accepts $1,000.00

In 2004 Edward Rendell For Governor receives another $5,000.00 and Robert Casey For Treasuer is given another $2,000.00.

In 2005 Mark Ciavarella For Retention receives $2,250.00. The Democratic Senate Campaign Committee comes on board for $2,000.00. Friends of Bob Mellow recieve $5,525.00.

And then the winds blow in. Hold onto your hat.

In 2006 the Committee To Elect Eddie Day Pashinski received $2,600.00. Edward Rendell For Governor receives $70,000.00. The Democratic Senate Committee accepts another $5,000.00. The SenatorMellow06 Committee receives $10,000.00 while Friends Of Bob Mellow accept $25,700.00.

In 2007 the Democratic Senate Committee is given another $5,000.00. The Committee For Rob McCord accepts $2,500.00. David Lupas For Judge Committee recieves $6,200.00. Friends of Bob Mellow accept another $75,875.00. Friends of Mike Carroll receive $2,000.00.

In 2008 the Democratic Senate Committee accepts another $5,000.00. The McCord Committee receives $25,000.00. Edward Rendell for Governor is given $15,000.00. Friends of Bob Mellow come up light at $875.00. Friends of Mike Carroll receive $4,500.00.

So lets add some of these up. Tom Ridge and The Ridge Leadership Fund received $56,000.00 but then the donations went mostly Democratic.

Edward Rendell For Governor received $110,500.00 since 2002. Friends of Bob Mellow and SenatorMellow06 were given a combined $117,975.00. Robert Casey For Governor and Treasurer received $23,250.00. The Democratic Senate Committee tallied up to $17,000.00. David Lupas For Judge received $6,250.00. Mark Ciavarella For Retention received $2,250.00.

On a federal level Paul Kanjorski via Pennsylvanians For Kanjorski has received $8,000.00 since 1998. Bob Casey For Pennsylvania Commmittee was the recipient of $2,100.00 while Bob Casey For Senate received $4,600.00. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee received $11,000.00. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee received $10,000.00. The RNC Republican National State Elections Committee received $5,000.00 on 11/03/2000. The Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania received $10,000.00 on 10/04/2005. The Pennsylvania Senate 2006 received $5,000.00 on 11/06/2006.

The total donations made on a federal level was $66,600.00 since 1998 including donations I have not published here. The total donations on a state level(including donations not listed here) were a whopping $444,395.00 for the same period..

The power of Congress lies in the committees where the bills are written. The committee chairman have tremendous control over the language written into a bill. Politicians who are not receptive to big campaign donors usually don't rise to these high offices. Party funds are such a big part of election funding that loss of party funds almost guarantees a loss of the election. On a state level the governor by him or herself is one of the three legislative bodies in most states. It is hard for proposed legislation to become law unless the governor ends up supporting it. A governor of a large state like Pennsylvania is more powerful than the governor of a small state.

Consider the gaming industry in Pennsylvania. Large campaign contributions created legal versions of gambling that were prohibited in the Commonwealth. The current voting methods and funding of candidates means the most ethical individual is so vulnerable to being influenced through money that the average voter really has no say except to place the person in office.

This problem is how we arrived at our financial crisis today. Large corporations influenced Congress to change the laws regarding savings and loans in the 80's. The new laws enabled these businesses to engage in financially irresponsible activity.

Is there a hidden unfairness in U.S. elections known as the disease "cashous infectous"? Is there an equal amount of access to politicians when individual donations can be drowned out with sizable donations like these?

State Figures By Year
1998- $38,000.00 1999- $11,000.00 2000- $1,650.00 2001- $27,100.00 2002- $26,600.00

2003- $14,100.00 2004- $10,910.00 2005- $18,100.00 2006- $131,075.00
2007- $97,200.00 2008- $68,650.00