The Effectiveness of Corporate PAC Expenditures and Their Role in the Legislative Process

A large portion of the American public believes that PAC contributions are tantamount to legalized bribery, in which contributors sway the votes of legislators (Chin, Bond and Geva 2000, 545; Lowery and Brasher, 13; Wawro 2001, 576). Their beliefs betray a core misunderstanding of the theory of PAC operation, under which PACs behave as gift-givers hoping to gain access. Legislative control of PACs cannot be achieved unless the public understands not only how PACs are supposed to behave, but also how they actually do.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the discrepancy between perception of PAC function and actual PAC behavior with an eye to better understanding what legislation may truly be necessary to ensure their ethical operation.This will necessitate reviewing not only the theories by which PACs operate, but also common public and legislative understanding of PAC function.To investigate the divergence between perception and fact, I will closely examine research on PACs in real-world and simulated operation. In other words, I will be examining the way successful PACs truly behave.

The Ins-And-Outs of PAC Operation

Since 1970, a majority of respondents to an American National Election Study question have reported their belief that "government is pretty much run by a few big interests looking out for themselves" (Lowery and Brasher, 13). At times, the majority of those agreeing with this statement has exceeded 75% of all Americans. It is clear that the American electorate holds strong and consistent opinions about the power of special interests.

Money is playing an ever increasing role in politics.

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