Hedged Bets

Gore Vidal once observed that in America we don't have campaigns, we have elections. Meaning, sadly, that issues are not the point here.

We recently stumbled across a list of corporations which underscores the truth of Vidal's insight, and also clarifies why at this point in American history, government "of the people" is largely a sham.

Here's the list. All these corporations have one thing in common politically. Take a look and see if you can guess what it is. Then scroll down for the answer.

AFLAC
AT&T
American Financial Group
American Home Products
America Online
American Airlines
American Express
American International Group
Anheuser-Busch
Archer Daniels Midland
Atlantic Richfield Co.
Bacardi Martini USA
Bechtel Group
Bell Atlantic
BellSouth
Blue Cross & Blue Shield
Boeing
Boston Capital Partners
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Chevron
Circus Circus Entrprises
Citigroup
Coca-Cola
Eli Lilly & Co.
Enron
Ernst & Young
Exxon Mobil
Federal Express
Flo-Sun Sugar Co.
General Dynamics
General Electric
Georgia-Pacific
International Game Technology
Joseph E. Seagram & Sons
Lockheed Martin
Loews Corp
MBNA Corp
MCI Worldcom
MGM Grand
Microsoft
Mirage Resorts
New York Life Insurance
Northern Telecom
Ocean Spray
Oracle
Owens Corning
Pacific Gas & Electric
Paine Webber
Park Place Entertainment
Pfizer
Philip Morris
Prudential Insurance
Rite-Aid
SBC Communications
Schering-Plough
Shield
Sprint
Sunoco
Time Warner
Union Pacific
United Airlines
United HealthCare
United Technologies
Upjohn
US West
Wait Disney

Answer:
Each of these 66 corporations has donated at least $50,000 to both the Gore AND the Bush campaigns.

If your dander (whatever dander is) was sleeping, that ought to get it up.

Unsolicited plug
We found the list in a jewel of a political newsletter, The Hightower Lowdown, a monthly summary of Jim Hightower's dangerously sane views of the world. You can write to him: lowdown@newslet.com. Or subscribe ($15 a year):

    The Hightower Lowdown
    P.O. Box 20596
    New York, NY 10011

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