Not that this is an actual example of someone buying a politician or a desirable political policy, dearie me oh no. Just a random coincidence in the scheme of things:
A green energy tycoon donated £15,000 to the Labour Party days before the party pledged to build thousands of new wind turbines and “enough solar panels to cover 22,000 football pitches.”
Official figures show that Dale Vince, the founder of Ecotricity, is Labour’s largest individual donor so far in the election campaign, having given the sum to the party on Nov 12, through his firm.
Mr Vince attended the Labour manifesto launch in Birmingham on Thursday, where the party committed to building 7,000 new offshore wind turbines, 2,000 onshore turbines, and solar panels spanning the equivalent of 22,000 football pitches.
Yes, we’re all terribly surprised as well.
But, on the off chance that anyone could possibly believe that this isn’t mere coincidence it does give us the answer to that question of why would people attempt to coddle the favour of politicians?
Because they’re cheap. Given the power control of the system gives over who makes money and how, swaying or veering said power and policy through contributions to political funding is a remarkably efficient investment. Which is why it’s done.
The only way it won;t be done is if the system doesn’t control, even potentially, who makes money and how. There’ll be no money in politics only in a laissez faire state.
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I feel like they would have probably made the pledge whether they got that money or not.
If I run a think tank that pushes some specific subject, and someone donates to me, I will probably continue exactly as I did before. They do not seek to sway me in some way, but rather they agree with me, like what I am doing, and want me to continue.
Citizen donates to politician, who makes a decision favorable to citizen. The problem in charging corruption is proving causation. The donation could have directed an opinion change, or the donor could have selected a politician already in his camp.
Simply, though, when a donation is followed by a government grant, the donation is a tiny percentage of the grant. If we can assume it's bribery, it's hugely efficient bribery. (Especially judgeships in Massachusetts.)
I read that as Ecotrocity.....
It comes as an initial surprise to learn that when trying to do business with a fairly substantial city that a couple of grand contribution to a supervisor's campaign will, assuming they win, put you on the list of people whose calls will be returned. Politicians are indeed surprisingly cheap.
Why the devil would anybody want their football pitch covered with solar panels?