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Amount that the 200 most politically active corporations in the U.S. spent on federal lobbying and campaign contributions between 2007 and 2012, according to a new report from the Sunlight Foundation titled “Fixed Fortunes”: $5.8 billion
In return, amount they got in federal business and support: $4.4 trillion
For every dollar spent influencing politics, amount these corporations received from the federal government, on average: $760
Total value of federal government-issued contracts to purchase goods and services during that period: more than $3 trillion
Portion of those contracts that went to these most politically active corporations: 1/3
Rank of finance, insurance and real estate among the sectors that accounted for most of the 200 corporate political powerhouses: 1
Total amount in loans and other assistance issued under a program created by Congress to address the 2008 financial crisis: $410 billion
Percent of that which went to just 16 of these politically influential companies: 73
Number of foreign financial service and banking firms that were among the companies that received the biggest returns on their political investments: 3*
Amount that North Carolina-based Bank of America spent on campaign contributions and lobbying during the period studied: $45.2 million
Value of federal business and support it got in return: $476.2 billion
Amount that Georgia-based utility giant Southern Co. spent on campaign contributions and lobbying: $86.2 million
Value of federal business and support it got in return: $597.6 million
Southern Co.’s effective tax rate: 11%
Amount that North Carolina-based utility giant Duke Energy spent on contributions and lobbying: $36 million
Value of federal business and support it got: $229.7 million
Duke Energy’s effective tax rate: 3%
Portion of Americans who believe corporations should have to pay more in taxes: 2/3
Percent of Americans who trust the federal government: 19
* UBS and Credit Suisse Group of Switzerland and Deutsche Bank of Germany.
(The figures in this index are all from “Fixed Fortunes: Biggest corporate political interests spend billions, get trillions” by Bill Allison and Sarah Harkins of the Sunlight Foundation.)
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