HIGHTOWER: Buying the Political Conventions

They came pouring into Philadelphia, and now they're pouring into Los Angeles, coming for the two biggest political galas of the year—the Republican and Democratic nominating conventions.

Only, it's not the flood of delegates, politicians, or media I'm talking about, but the tidal wave of corporate dollars that have poured into the two conventions. Instead of these quadrennial events being proud exercises in democracy, they've become what the Center for Public Integrity calls the "Super Bowls of the influence of money on politics." AT&T, General Motors, Microsoft, and others poured a million bucks each into the GOP's Philadelphia dance, and AT&T, General Motors, Microsoft, and others are also pouring a million bucks each into the Democrat's show in Los Angeles.

Dozens of other brand-name corporations are investing half-a-million or a quarter-million dollars each in these conventions, which the New York Times refers to as "orgies of cash, providing yet another route for corporations to buy political access." Philip Morris, for example, gave $250,000 to the Republican event, for which it got listed as an official "sponsor" of the convention, was allowed to fly-in its lobbyists and executives to schmooze at private events with the nominees and congressional leaders, and even got a downtown street renamed "Philip Morris" for the convention week. The company spokeswoman said, "it is important to our shareholders and employees that we try to build relationships in venues that are important to us."

If you translate her corporate-speak into English, she's saying: "We brought bales of cash to Philadelphia so we could buy our way into the back rooms and play kissy-face with the politicians so they'll like us and do what we want back in Washington."

This is Jim Hightower saying ... Taxpayers give $13 million to both the Republicans and Democrats to put on their conventions—isn't that enough? After all, the conventions have become nothing but four-day infomercials for them, with no real purpose. I say we should ban the corrupt corporate money.