Who is Powerful and Why?

CT, MA, NJ, NY

Michal Adut & Tess Wendel

Top Contributors Connecticut (2006)

Top 5 Industries Lawyers & Lobbyists Party Committees Real Estate Candidate Self-finance Securities & Investment

Unions

Business

Parties and Candidates

Civil Servants/Public Officials/Retirees

Top Contributors Massachusetts (2004)

Top 5 Industries Lawyers & Lobbyists Party Committees Candidate Self-Finance Real Estate Candidate Self Finance

Unions

Business

Parties and Candidates

Civil Servants/Public Officials

Top Contributors New Jersey (2007)

Top 5 Industries Party Committees Candidate Committees General Trade Unions Lawyers & Lobbyists Public Subsidy

Unions

Business

Parties and Candidates

Civil Servants/Public Officials

Public Subsidy

Top Contributors New York (2006)

Top 5 Industries Candidate CommitteesReal EstateParty CommitteesPublic Sector UnionsLawyers & Lobbyists

Unions

Business

Parties and Candidates

Civil Servants/Public Officials/Retirees

Who’s Got Clout?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Unions Business Parties andCandidates

Civil Servants/PublicOff.

CT MA NJ NY

Percent Contribution Per Industry

Ballot Initiative: Question 1

Allows Grocery Stores to Sell Wine

Why a ballot? Failure of Prior legislative initiatives

2006 Election v. Other Election Years

% of Total Contributions in 2006

4.8%4.8%5.7%

24.3%

6.6%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

CandidateSelf- finance

FoodProcessing &

Sales

PartyCommittees

Lawyers &Lobbyists

Beer, Wine& Liquor

2004

6.6% 6.5%4.6%

3.0% 2.3%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Lawyers PartyCommittees

CandidateSelf Finance

Real Estate CandidateCommittees

2002

23.4%

5.9% 5.2%

2.4% 2.2%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

CandidateSelf

Finance

Lawyers PublicSubsidy

RealEstate

Retired

2000

10.0%

4.0% 3.9% 3.4% 3.1%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Lawyers Real Estate Candidate SelfFinance

Trade Unions CivilServants/Public

Off.

Supporters

Stop and Shop Shaw’s, Hannaford Whole Foods and others

Spent a total of $7,809,485Image Source:http://saharamart.com/grocery.php

Opposition Massachusetts Package Stores Association Beer Distributors of Massachusetts Spent a total of $5,580,633 Outsider dimension: “Bill is more than just

convenience, there will be a social and public safety cost”

Image Source: http://www.bu.edu/phpbin/news-cms/news/?dept=1368&id=41565

Results

Massachusetts voter reject ballot initiative despite early polls showing strong support

Most expensive ballot question campaign in state history

Works Cited USA Today “Massachusetts voters reject ballot initiative on

wine in grocery stores” http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/vote2006/MA/2006-11-07-ballot-initiatives_x.htm

Follow the Money. “Ballot Measures” http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/state_ballot_measures.phtml?s=MA&y=2006

Boston.com “Grocers spend big in bid to sell wine Stop & Shop leads the way in fight with package stores, liquor firms to woo voters” http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2006/09/12/grocers_spend_big_in_bid_to_sell_wine/

Lyke to Drink. “Politics and Wine in Massachusetts” http://lyke2drink.blogspot.com/2006/10/politics-and-wine-in-massachusetts_18.html

http://www.FollowtheMoney.org