How Much Influence Does Hollywood Have in Political Fundraising?

Our nation has long put celebrities on a pedestal. From Mary Pickford and her popularity in silent movies to Angelia Jolie and her humanitarian causes, those on the big screen seem to have always had an impact on the way society forms its opinions. As the 2012 presidential election heats up, many actors are choosing sides and giving their two cents worth on Twitter, Facebook and by attending political fundraisers. Do the political stands celebrities truly make a difference in public opinion and political fundraising for candidates?

According to Ted Johnson, writer for Variety magazine, “So far this cycle, the industry has donated more than $17 million to federal candidates and committees, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, with more than 70% going to Democrats. The split is more equal when it comes to giving among industry political action committees. The MPAA’s giving is running about 64% to Democrats and 36% to Republicans; the Recording Industry Assn. of America is at 40% to Democrats and 60% to Republicans.

“But there’s even a difference in giving at the corporate level and individual giving at the top. The Sony Pictures Entertainment PAC has given 57% to Democrats and 43% to Republicans so far this election cycle; its chairman and CEO, Michael Lynton, has given only to Democrats this cycle and is an Obama bundler.
The president even held his first re-election fundraiser in Los Angeles on the Sony lot.”

I can’t help but wonder which is the stronger force here: the dollars being tossed into the presidential pool or the influence that these super stars have on public opinion. I have to admit that I think money has the upper hand here. My guess is that voters between the ages of 18-30 may be swayed by a celebrity’s political point-of-view, but the average voter is much less impressionable.

So what motivates a candidate to support one candidate over the other? Producer Norman Lear states that, “It is usually about their sense of good government, what they perceive is best for the country. These tend to focus on non-industry specific issues…like education, human rights, environment and foreign policy. They are among the highest-earning contributors that back higher tax rates, at odds with their own personal interest.”

Quite frankly, I don’t believe that Hollywood is a force to be reckoned with concerning politics. It is more along party lines, corporate interests and an individual’s moral compass that cause the gravitational pull to or from each candidate.