Money is an essential element in politics as it enables supporting political candidates and parties. The Center for Responsive Politics provides unbiased data on the role of finance in policy-making in the U.S. (“Our Vision and Mission”). This entry analyses the sources of funding for California’s Senator Kamala D. Harris and Representative Mike Levin. Both Members of Congress are democrats who have found significant support in their campaign committee fundraisings. For Harris, top contributors include Plumbers/Pipefitters Unions, Bad Robotics Production, Seafarers International Union, United Food & Commercial Workers Union, and Walt Disney Co (“Sen. Kamala Harris”). The primary industries are law firms, retired individuals, TV, movies and music business, securities and investment companies, and real estate (“Sen. Kamala Harris”). For Levin, Democracy Engine, University of California, United for A Strong America, Walt Disney Co, and Alphabet Inc are the top contributors (“Rep. Mike Levin”). Retired individuals, democratic and liberal organizations, law firms, leadership PACs, and Real Estate are the top five contributors (“Rep. Mike Levin”). Access to accurate financial data in U.S. politics allows for evaluating its impact on public policy-making.
This data suggests that the majority of contributors for both Harris and Levin can be found in the legal and real estate industries, as well as among retired individuals. This tendency indicates that the core values of the democrats comply with the mission of the legal profession and emphasizes that the Democratic party can be regarded as the lawyers’ party. In other words, the contributions are given in exchange for supporting the historically marginalized social groups, ensuring the rule of law, and providing legal solutions to dilemmas. On the contrary, the Republican party is more pro-business, which can be seen from the example of John Cornyn, the Senator for Texas and a Republican representative. Cornyn’s main contributions come from retired individuals, securities and investment firms, real estate, and the oil and gas industry (“Sen. John Cornyn”). Therefore, the parties attract different donors since they appeal to different people and emphasize different values.
Websites of the Republican Party and the Democratic Party
The websites of the two main parties, Republican and Democratic, convey different ideas and appeal to audiences whose values and priorities can differ. The Republican party’s home page appeals to the voters with the message stating the core values that Americans should focus on, such as family traditions, hard work, and religious liberty (Republican National Committee). It shows a list of featured articles and videos concerning the presidential election 2020. The overall tone of the website is conservative and straight to the point, and, as for me as a voter, it conveys the idea of the party’s emphasis on ambition and determination in pursuing its goals. In turn, the home page of the Democratic party focuses on sending a different message to the voters as it points out unity, empowerment, and fairness as the core elements of a better future for the nation (Together, We Are the Democratic Party). The website’s tone is inclusive and equality-oriented, which makes me feel like the party values the idea of integration, involvement, and improvement.
Each site’s information and message reflect the respective coalition: conservative for the Republican party and liberal for the Democratic party, which can be seen from the visual design and the content of pages. The Republican website focuses on such issues as Budget and Spending, Economy, Education Reform, Elections, Energy and Environment, and Family Values (Republican National Committee). The Democratic site provides more extended descriptions of problems, such as protecting Americans, recovering from the pandemic, building a stronger economy, and achieving universal healthcare (Together, We Are the Democratic Party). Therefore, the issues and objectives appeal to target voters through different priorities and approaches. Another thing about the websites that stands out to me is the visual design; namely, the Democrats’ site features pictures of various nations’ representatives and children, emphasizing the idea of belongingness and unity.
Works Cited
“Our Vision and Mission: Inform, Empower & Advocate.” OpenSecrets, Web.
“Rep. Mike Levin – California District 49.” OpenSecrets, Web.
“Sen. John Cornyn – Texas.” OpenSecrets, Web.
“Sen. Kamala Harris – Campaign Finance Summary.” OpenSecrets, Web.
Republican National Committee. GOP, 2020, Web.
Together, We Are the Democratic Party. Democrats, 2020, Web.