Explore the evolving landscape of political contributions from 1990 to 2024, with a focus on high-impact business entities and influential figures who have directed substantial financial resources into the U.S. political system. This video examines the largest political donors, specifically focusing on businesses and individual business leaders who have mobilized funds through Political Action Committees (PACs) and specialized organizations to shape policies and align with their strategic business goals.
This analysis excludes contributions from national labor unions, associations, and various other committee types to provide a focused look at business-driven financial flows. It's tracking trends over 24 trailing months, and captures shifts in funding patterns within the context of 4-year presidential, congressional, and Senate election cycles.
The financial landscape changed dramatically following the landmark Citizens United v. FEC decision in 2010, which allowed exponential increases in corporate donations and expanded avenues for businesses to influence political discourse. Figures include both hard money, direct contributions to candidates regulated by federal limits, and soft money, unregulated funds given to political parties and organizations for activities indirectly supporting candidates. Each bar in chart reflects contributions to Democrat (Blue) and Republican (Red) candidates. Where entities donated to both sides, the visualization emphasizes the dominant funding direction. Cases where a single donor allocated more than 40% to each side are represented in both bars, highlighting bipartisan support.
Source: Data Is Beautiful
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