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must be reported for public record. This generous friend had been welcome as long as it could remain something of a silent partner. By the time that situation ended with the B.C. R. A., the American public also had become keenly aware of the costs to health and taxpayers that resulted from the use of tobacco. As a friend to politicians, tobacco now became something of an embarrassment.

This does not mean that political candidates no longer receive contributions from the tobacco industry. All of the major presidential candidates have accepted funds from them in the present campaign. As of this writing Hillary Clinton is the largest tobacco recipient of the three leading candidates; John McCain's contributions from tobacco come in second, and Barack Obama has received the least. As mentioned above, however, the campaign is not over and this ranking of tobacco money acceptance probably is temporary. In any case, no industry can any longer donate to campaigns in the way many did before the campaign funding reform went into effect. It is worth noting here that two Democrats and two Republicans managed to give teeth to the new law, and a Republican president signed it.

In other comparisons between the two main political parties, I have not found any real surprises. Democrats are given major support by industries and organizations that include Health Professionals, charitable foundations and nonprofits, pro-choice groups for women, education, and labor unions. Republican candidates and their party routinely are the recipients of greatest favor from the oil industry, tobacco, pharmaceutical manufacturing companies, anti-abortion groups and (usually) religious organizations.

These facts, which I encourage you to confirm on any nonpartisan site, will mean different things to different people. Each of these industries and groups has supporters amongst the American people. In order to get a real handle on the effects of campaign funding on individual Americans, I suggest taking advantage of the OpenSecrets site's profile on each campaign by clicking on the name of each candidate and finding out how much of their money comes in which forms: Individual donations, PACs (Political Action Committees), and so forth.

Bear in mind that the candidate who is sworn in has a certain obligation, whether we like it or not, to the people who got him or her there. Finding out where the money came from can give you a pretty good idea of what to expect, in certain situations, from each candidate.

Learn more about this author, Angelica Weathersby.
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