Yep, today’s announcements by Microsoft and Facebook = easy ways to score a positive headline, but not necessarily fundamental change. twitter.com/TonyRomm/statu
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Contributions from corporate PACs are one of those things that regular people think are important but insiders know couldn’t be less material.
In other words, suspending donations from these PACs is the perfect low-cost distraction that you can use to win a news cycle.
In the first quarter after the last presidential cycle (Q1, 2017):
Microsoft's PAC donated $88,850 to politicians.
Facebook's PAC gave away $63,380.
That is nothing. Good press release though!
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Resolved —
Facebook board member Peter Thiel's donation decisions matter a lot more than Facebook PAC's donation decisions.
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This same dynamic has played out in Democratic primary politics when it comes to ruling out donations from corporate PACs.
The positive PR value that candidates would get if they forswore contributions from the PACs was often more valuable than the $5,000 checks.
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