In the 2004 elections, spending by Big Business accounted for a whopping $1.22 billion, more than 23 times the contributions working families made through their unions, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The 2004 election contributions by corporate special interests represent a quantum jump over the 2002 elections, when Big Business political spending out-distanced the contributions working families made through their unions by 12-to-1. That advantage translated to $62 million from working families, compared with $709 million from Big Business, according to an analysis of data from the Federal Election Commission.

Tallies of additional election contributions through so-called soft money donations are not final, but likely will follow the long-term pattern of massive corporate and industry group spending. For example, in 2002, the drug industry contributed more than $18 million to candidates and parties and spent more than $16 million on television issue ads congratulating mostly Republican members of the House of Representatives for voting in support of the pharmaceutical industry’s plan to privatize a prescription drug benefit at the expense of America’s seniors.

Beginning in the 1996 elections, the AFL-CIO and its affiliate unions combined their resources to build a stronger voice for working families in politics and hold candidates accountable for addressing the issues that matter to working people. The AFL-CIO’s political program strives to counterbalance Big Business’ money advantage by educating, mobilizing and engaging union members in politics.