A Dysfunctional Politics of American Democracy - The Case of Campaign Financing and Lobbying -

This paper argues that campaign financing and lobbying tend to seriously compromise the democratic processes of election and public policy-making in the United States. The national election campaigns are mainly financed by mega contributions from wealthy individuals and corporations. This phenomenon has become aggravated since super-PACs were ruled legal by the Supreme Court. Lobbying is almost exclusively political operation of major corporations and corporate associations aimed at influencing legislative activities and executive decision-making in their favor. Money expended for lobbying each year is as large as campaign spending for national elections. Election financing and lobbying tend to render a destructive effect to democracy, turning American politics into a plutocracy.