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A groundbreaking Princeton study analyzed nearly 2,000 policy decisions and found that public opinion has "near-zero" impact on what laws pass—while the preferences of economic elites and corporate interest groups strongly predict policy outcomes. This article examines how billionaires, corporations, and lobbying groups like AIPAC (which spent over $126 million in 2024) have turned American democracy into an oligarchy where money determines policy instead of voters. Learn what science says about who really controls our government and how the Labor Party is fighting to restore power to working people.
Here's a fact that should enrage every American: what you think about policy has essentially zero impact on what laws actually pass.
That's not hyperbole or political rhetoric—it's science. And it explains why Congress ignores overwhelming public support for policies like universal background checks on guns (supported by 83-91% of Americans), action on climate change (supported by vast majorities), or raising the minimum wage (supported by 60%+ of Americans including most Republicans).
The data is clear: America is not a democracy in any meaningful sense. We've become an oligarchy where wealth determines policy, not voters.
Let's examine the evidence.
In 2014, professors Martin Gilens of Princeton University and Benjamin Page of Northwestern University published a study that should have sparked a revolution. They analyzed nearly 1,800 policy decisions made between 1981 and 2002, comparing policy outcomes to the preferences of different groups: average citizens, economic elites, and organized interest groups.
Their findings were damning.
The researchers found that the preferences of average Americans have only a "miniscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy." Whether 0% or 100% of the public supports a policy makes essentially no difference in whether it becomes law.
Read that again. Your opinion—and the opinion of millions of Americans like you—statistically does not matter when it comes to what policies pass.
Meanwhile, the preferences of economic elites and business interest groups were far more likely to translate into actual policy. When wealthy Americans and corporate lobbies want something, they tend to get it. When average citizens want something, they usually don't.
Gilens and Page argue that America has slowly transformed from a democracy into an oligarchy over the past few decades, where wealthy elites wield most power regardless of—or even against—the will of the majority of voters.
This isn't a conspiracy theory. This is peer-reviewed academic research published in one of the most prestigious political science journals. The methodology is sound. The data is comprehensive. The conclusion is inescapable:
Rich people and corporate interests determine policy. You don't.
The Princeton study explains countless policy failures that mystify Americans:
Gun Control
Despite 83-91% of Americans supporting mandatory background checks on gun sales, Congress has taken no action. Why? Because the gun lobby spends millions opposing it, and wealthy gun manufacturers profit from unrestricted sales.
Climate Change
Even when climate legislation is supported by vast majorities of citizens, Congress refuses to act. Why? Because fossil fuel companies spend billions lobbying against climate policy to protect their profits.
Healthcare Reform
Most Americans support Medicare for All or at least a public option. Yet Congress can't pass meaningful healthcare reform. Why? Because insurance companies and pharmaceutical corporations spend hundreds of millions to prevent it.
Minimum Wage
Overwhelming majorities support raising the minimum wage, which hasn't increased in over a decade despite massive inflation. Why? Because corporate lobbies fight any wage increase that would cut into their profits.
In every case, what wealthy elites and corporations want prevails over what the public wants.
America didn't become an oligarchy overnight. It happened through decades of deliberate policy decisions that empowered money and disempowered voters.
In 2010, the Supreme Court handed down one of the most destructive rulings in American history: Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
The Court ruled that limits on corporate independent expenditures violated the First Amendment, effectively declaring that money equals speech and corporations have the same free speech rights as human beings.
The result? Unlimited money flooded into politics.
What Citizens United Unleashed:
Dark money expenditures increased from less than $5 million in 2006 to more than $1 billion in the 2024 presidential elections alone. Super PACs spent approximately $6.4 billion on federal elections from 2010 to 2022, with a record $2.7 billion in 2024.
Let that sink in: $1 billion in secret political spending in a single election cycle. Money from sources voters can't identify, spent to influence their votes without transparency or accountability.
Super PACs can collect and spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections. While technically required to disclose their donors, those donors can include dark money groups, making the original source of donations unclear.
This means a single billionaire can spend $100 million trying to elect candidates who will serve their interests—and voters might never know who's really funding the attack ads they see.
Super PAC Reality:
Despite the growth of small donor contributions, super PAC money from the very wealthiest donors has largely eclipsed donations from small donors giving $200 or less.
Translation: A handful of billionaires matter more than millions of small donors.
Dark money refers to political spending by groups that don't disclose their donors. You see their ads during election season, but you have no idea who paid for them or what they want in return.
Because dark money groups need only to report spending for certain activities, much of their spending has become increasingly difficult to track. These groups are not required to disclose donations to super PACs or their spending for many types of campaign advertising, including most online ads.
This opacity serves a purpose: hiding who's really pulling the strings.
When you don't know who's funding political messages, you can't evaluate their motives. Is that ad about education reform funded by teachers? Or by a hedge fund manager trying to privatize public schools? You'll never know.
Let's put some concrete figures on oligarchy.
In 2023, total lobbying spending in the United States amounted to $4.26 billion. Since the turn of the millennium, the amount spent on lobbying has more than doubled.
That's $4.26 billion spent by corporations, special interest groups, and wealthy organizations trying to influence legislation. Every year.
Who spends this money? Pharmaceutical companies. Insurance companies. Oil and gas corporations. Wall Street banks. Defense contractors. Tech giants.
What are they buying? Access to lawmakers. Favorable legislation. Protection from regulations. Tax breaks. Government contracts. Policy that serves their bottom line instead of the public interest.
AdImpact estimated that $10.2 billion was spent on political advertising during the 2024 election cycle, making it the most expensive in history. This represents an increase from more than $9 billion spent during the 2020 cycle.
Ten billion dollars. In a single election cycle.
Most of that money comes from a tiny fraction of Americans—the super wealthy and the corporations they control.
An overwhelming majority of Americans—82%—told Pew they think donors have too much influence over decisions made by members of Congress, and 73% thought lobbyists and special interest groups hold too much sway.
Americans know the system is rigged. They see it. They feel it. The Princeton study just confirmed what everyone already suspects: money controls politics, not voters.
Want to see oligarchy in action? Look at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and its spending in the 2024 election cycle.
AIPAC's PAC and its super PAC, the United Democracy Project (UDP), spent nearly $126.9 million combined during the 2023-2024 election cycle. This included more than $55.2 million in donations given to federal candidates, with at least $45.2 million going to campaigns of members of the new 119th Congress.
That's $126.9 million from a single lobbying organization. In one election cycle.
This is a massive increase from AIPAC's spending in 2022, which only amounted to $13 million in contributions to congressional campaigns.
AIPAC multiplied its spending by nearly 10x in just two years. Why? Because they could—and because it works.
The report states that 349 senators and members of the House of Representatives, or 65% of Congress, received money from AIPAC or its affiliated super PACs. For example, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson received at least $654,000, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat, received at least $933,000.
Let that sink in: Two-thirds of Congress took money from a single lobbying group.
Do you think those members of Congress feel free to vote against AIPAC's interests? Or do you think they understand who funded their campaigns?
AIPAC particularly targeted two Democratic members of the House: Representatives Cori Bush of Missouri and Jamaal Bowman of New York, each known for their progressive reputations and for being among the first in Congress to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. AIPAC spent $20 million to back their primary opponents Wesley Bell and George Latimer, respectively, successfully unseating Bush and Bowman.
Twenty million dollars. To defeat two sitting members of Congress whose crime was supporting a ceasefire.
In Missouri's First Congressional District, AIPAC's PAC gave more than $3.1 million to Wesley Bell's campaign through July 31, the dominant share of the nearly $4.8 million he had reported raising. In addition, UDP spent $8.6 million in the race, the majority of that amount opposing incumbent Rep. Cori Bush.
AIPAC didn't just contribute to Bush's opponent—they became his campaign. Nearly all of his funding came from AIPAC.
AIPAC has proven that it can direct huge sums of money to oust insurgent members of Congress and candidates—removing from the halls of Congress those who dare challenge the organization's preferred policies.
The message is clear: Cross AIPAC, and they'll spend millions to end your career. This is how oligarchy works. Not through arguments or democratic persuasion, but through financial punishment.
Of the 469 seats up for reelection in 2024, AIPAC spent money on more than 80%: 389 races in total. AIPAC sought influence over 363 seats in the House and 26 in the Senate.
AIPAC didn't just target a few races. They spent money trying to influence 80% of congressional elections. That's not advocacy—that's systematic control.
The United Democracy Project super PAC received seven-figure donations from both Republican and Democratic billionaire donors, including investor Jonathon Jacobson, investor Haim Saban, late Home Depot co-founder Bernard Marcus, and hedge fund manager Paul Singer.
Follow the money: Billionaires from both parties funding a lobbying group that ensures Congress serves their interests instead of voters' interests.
The evidence paints a clear picture:
Billionaires don't just have more money than working people—they have more political power. They fund super PACs. They own media companies. They employ armies of lobbyists. They write the checks that candidates depend on to win elections.
Massive spending was not the only way that billionaires shaped the 2024 race. Most notably, Elon Musk leveraged his ownership of the social media platform X to support his preferred candidates, with X amplifying Musk's pro-Trump posts so they appeared in the feed of every subscriber.
When you're the world's richest person, you can buy a social media platform and use it as your personal propaganda machine.
Corporations don't vote, but they control politics through lobbying, PAC contributions, and funding think tanks that shape policy debates.
The industries utilizing lobbying as a means to gain influence come from a range of industries, with the biggest spenders including pharmaceuticals, insurance, business associations, and oil and gas.
These industries spend billions to ensure policies serve their profits:
The result? Policies that maximize corporate profits while working families struggle.
Organizations like AIPAC, the Chamber of Commerce, and industry trade associations spend billions shaping legislation. They employ former members of Congress and congressional staff who know how the system works and where the pressure points are.
Business organizations and a small number of affluent Americans dominate policymaking, seriously threatening America's claims to being a democratic society.
When money controls politics instead of voters, working people lose. Every time.
These policies don't pass because voters want them. They pass because wealthy donors and corporate lobbies want them.
These policies don't die because voters oppose them. They die because wealthy interests oppose them.
When Congress judges policies not on their merits as measured by the preferences of average citizens but by how much money each side is throwing at the issue, the result is something that looks a lot like an oligarchy, with all the problems that come with plutocratic governance.
The Princeton study proves that the system is working exactly as designed—just not for you. It's designed for wealthy elites and corporate interests.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: Both Democrats and Republicans participate in this system.
Yes, many Democrats talk about campaign finance reform. But most of them still take corporate PAC money. They still depend on wealthy donors. They still employ corporate-funded consultants.
Politico reported in June that AIPAC has been "the biggest source of Republican money flowing into competitive Democratic primaries this year."
Republican billionaires funded by AIPAC helped determine Democratic primary outcomes. Does that sound like a party that's serious about ending oligarchy?
Republicans don't even pretend to oppose corporate control of politics. They celebrate it. They defend Citizens United. They oppose all campaign finance reform. They argue that money is speech and corporations are people.
The result? Both parties serve the same masters: wealthy donors and corporate interests.
The two major parties have a shared interest in maintaining the current system because they both benefit from it. They've written campaign finance laws that make it nearly impossible for third parties to compete. They've created debates that exclude alternative voices. They've gerrymandered districts to protect incumbents.
82% of Americans think donors have too much influence over Congress, yet neither major party addresses it meaningfully. Why? Because both parties depend on those same donors.
The Labor Party rejects this oligarchic system entirely. We're building a political movement that refuses corporate money and depends solely on working people.
The Labor Party takes zero dollars from corporate PACs. Not a penny. This isn't a talking point—it's our funding model.
When you don't take corporate money, you're free to fight for working people without worrying about offending donors. That changes everything.
Our campaigns are funded by $5, $10, and $25 donations from working families—not million-dollar checks from billionaires. This means:
The Labor Party's platform directly confronts the oligarchic system:
Ban Corporate PAC Contributions
Prohibit corporations from contributing to federal campaigns through PACs. Corporations aren't people and shouldn't have the same political rights.
Overturn Citizens United
Support a constitutional amendment establishing that corporations don't have the same constitutional rights as individuals and that money is not speech.
End Dark Money
Require full transparency in political donations. Voters deserve to know who's funding political messages.
Public Financing of Elections
Create a public financing system so candidates can run viable campaigns without selling out to wealthy donors.
Ban Lobbying by Former Officials
Prohibit former members of Congress and congressional staff from becoming lobbyists, ending the revolving door between government and corporate interests.
Automatic Voter Registration
Ensure every eligible person is automatically registered to vote, making it easier for working people to participate in democracy.
Strengthen Union Political Power
While restricting corporate political spending, we'll protect and strengthen workers' ability to organize politically through unions—the one form of working-class political organization that can match corporate power.
Reclaiming democracy from oligarchy requires more than good intentions—it requires organized power.
The Labor Party is building political power that's structurally independent from corporate money. We're organizing in communities, winning local elections, and proving that working-class candidates can win without selling out.
When we win city council seats, school board positions, and state legislative races, we demonstrate that alternatives to corporate-funded politics are viable.
Real political change comes from organized people, not wealthy donors. We're:
We're not waiting for Democrats or Republicans to fix the system. We're running Labor Party candidates who refuse corporate money and fight for working people.
Starting local, we're:
We partner with organizations fighting oligarchy:
Together, we're building a movement powerful enough to challenge oligarchic control.
Democracy won't restore itself. It requires organized action by working people who refuse to accept oligarchy.
Research candidates' funding sources before you vote. If they take corporate PAC money, they'll answer to corporate interests. Find candidates who refuse corporate money—and support them.
The Labor Party runs candidates at every level who take zero corporate PAC donations. Support them.
We're building independent political power for working people. Join your state chapter at [votelabor[state].org] and get involved in organizing, campaigns, and movement building.
We need members, volunteers, organizers, and candidates. Be part of reclaiming democracy.
Demand your current representatives support:
Write letters. Make phone calls. Attend town halls. Make noise.
Political power starts with economic power. If your workplace isn't unionized, organize it. Union members build collective power that can challenge corporate political dominance.
Share this information. Most people don't know about the Princeton study. They don't know how much AIPAC spent. They don't understand how Citizens United changed politics.
Educate people. Show them the evidence. Help them understand that oligarchy is real—and that we can fight it.
Are you a worker who's tired of corporate control? Consider running for local office on a platform of refusing corporate money. The Labor Party provides training, support, and resources for working-class candidates.
We need hundreds of Labor Party candidates running nationwide. Be one of them.
Corporate media won't tell you about oligarchy—they're part of it. Support independent journalism that exposes money in politics and holds powerful interests accountable.
Share articles like this. Amplify voices challenging oligarchy. Break through corporate media's control of information.
The Princeton study makes the choice clear: We can accept oligarchy, or we can fight for democracy.
If we accept oligarchy, we accept that:
If we fight for democracy, we commit to:
The Labor Party chooses to fight.
The central point is clear: economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while average citizens have little or no independent influence.
That's not democracy. That's oligarchy.
But oligarchy isn't inevitable. It's a choice—and we can choose differently.
We can choose to build political movements independent from corporate money. We can choose to organize working people into a force powerful enough to challenge billionaire control. We can choose to vote for candidates who refuse to sell out.
The Labor Party is making that choice. We're refusing corporate money. We're organizing working people. We're running candidates who answer to voters, not donors. We're building toward a future where democracy means more than checking a box every few years while oligarchs make all the real decisions.
Join us.
Your vote might not matter in the current system—but your organizing, your activism, your refusal to accept oligarchy, and your commitment to building independent working-class political power absolutely matters.
Together, we can reclaim democracy from the oligarchs who stole it.
