How much money and influence does AIPAC wield?

JVL Introduction

This detailed assessment of how much money AIPAC has spent on US elections is worrying on many levels, not least the sheer amount of money deployed.  Its main focus, of course, is to support pro Israel candidates and oppose pro Palestinian ones but also “removing from the halls of power politicians who aren’t merely critics of U.S. policy toward Israel, but are also supporters of economic, policing, health care, and labor policies that are at odds with the interests of the lobbying group’s wealthy donors”.

There is a serious problem in the domination of money in US (and other elections).  As Usamah Andrabi, a spokesperson for Justice Democrats said:  “AIPAC — like every other corporate super PAC — represents the most broken parts of our campaign finance system that gives a handful of billionaires a vehicle to advance their interests at the expense of millions of everyday people. (and) “If we want to stop rising costs, protect our communities, and prevent another endless war abroad then we need to take big money out of politics once and for all.”

What happens in the US has an impact on the rest of the world and it seems astonishing that this is allowed under US laws.

LL

This article was originally published by The Intercept on Thu 24 Oct 2024. Read the original here.