The Corporate Thrust in American Politics

Since the late ’60s American business has consolidated its organizational structure so as to vastly increase its political and economic power. A recent Fortune magazine article, entitled “Business is Learning How to Win in Washington,” detailing many such changes, opens with a conversation between two lobbyists for the Business Roundtable on how to defeat the Consumer Protection bill:

Just a few blocks from the White House, in Room 811 of one of Washington’s least memorable office buildings, this conversation is going on between two men, one of whom is holding a list of congressmen in his hand:

“Henry Gonzalez of San Antonio . . . should we use Sears? We have problems with Jake Pickle on this, I’m not sure we can get him . . . OK, let’s ask Sears about Gonzalez. . . Delaney of Long Island … well, Delaney’s a character still he was helpful as chairman of the Rules Commitee. . . . Bristol-Myers is close to Delaney, let Bill Greif handle that. . . .

“Gaydos of Pennsylvania . . . ask Alcoa if they’ll do it, John Harper was very enthusiastic about this one. . . . Hatfield of Continental could do it but I hate to ask him. . . ....

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