Here is a list of the top 10 contributors in politics since 1989 and see what you make of it.
Top 10 donors:
AT&T Inc $40,838,395
American Fedn of State, County & Municipal Employees $40,690,630
National Assn of Realtors $34,635,003
Goldman Sachs $30,878,682
American Assn for Justice $30,103,429
Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers $29,684,341
National Education Assn $29,624,876
Laborers Union $27,797,489
Service Employees International Union $27,363,922
Carpenters & Joiners Union $26,789,808
Heres another list of lobbying for 2008 by sector...Look who was second place last year.
Health $478,876,271
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate $454,379,133
Misc Business $453,525,811
Energy & Natural Resources $388,223,311
Communications/Electronics $373,756,622
Transportation $254,213,277
Other $247,191,461
Defense $149,068,683
Ideological/Single-Issue $143,482,479
Agribusiness $136,770,412
Construction $56,331,057
Labor $38,686,776
Lawyers & Lobbyists $31,779,725
Here is the top contributors by industry for 2008. You can decide for yourself if you think any of these $millions influenced Congress on bailouts, bonuses, etc.
Insurance $152,686,327
Securities & Investment $92,350,635
Real Estate $80,762,476
Commercial Banks $55,704,046
Finance/Credit Companies $33,287,862
Misc Finance $17,000,427
Accountants $13,716,160
Credit Unions $6,034,200
Savings & Loans $2,837,000
