Michael Barone

Michael Barone, a political journalist and senior writer for U.S. News & World Report, examines the role of money in U.S. politics in the following viewpoint. He focuses on a case chronicled by an October 1999 New York Times article that described how a business executive successfully lobbied for legislation governing asbestos lawsuits while heavily contributing to politicians and political parties. Barone rejects the inference that this was an example of how money can corruptly influence America’s political leaders. He argues that the enacted reforms had strong arguments in their favor, and that the executive was simply exercising his First Amendment rights to lobby the government and express his views. Money has a legitimate place in America’s political system, Barone concludes. As you read, consider...