--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Campaign contributions don’t buy votes…" description: "\"“Campaign contributions don’t buy votes. What they buy is access.”\" — Al Franken" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c7/al-franken-1407_campaign_campaign-contributions-don-t-buy-votes-w_513541.png" --- # Campaign contributions don’t buy votes. What they buy is… ![“Campaign contributions don’t buy votes. What they buy is access.” quote by Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c7/al-franken-1407_campaign_campaign-contributions-don-t-buy-votes-w_513541.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c7/al-franken-1407_campaign_campaign-contributions-don-t-buy-votes-w_513541.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c7/al-franken-1407_campaign_campaign-contributions-don-t-buy-votes-w_513541.png) > ““Campaign contributions don’t buy votes. What they buy is access.”” [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Money influences politics not by buying votes directly, but by granting donors privileged access to decision‑makers. **In simple terms:** Donations buy access, not votes. Key Takeaway Limit donor influence on policy. Themes politics money influence Mood critical concerned Type political analytical When to use this quote - legislative lobbying - political fundraising - grassroots campaigns - policy advocacy Key Concepts campaign finance democracy ethics Questions to Reflect On - How does access translate into policy outcomes? - What reforms could reduce undue influence? A Different Perspective Access can still be indirect and opaque. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buy Access](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buy-access-4346216/) [Buy Votes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buy-votes-4031386/) [Campaign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaign/) [Campaign contributions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaign-contributions/) [Votes Buy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/votes-buy-4346215/) ## Related quotes > [The only way you do anything is to become really active. And the most effective way to get your message to your elected representatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krist-novoselic/the-only-way-you-do-anything-is-to-become-really-active-and-the-most/) [Krist Novoselic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krist-novoselic/) > [“Most politicians are corrupt as they do not represent the masses that voted for them, but rather they choose to return numerous favors to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/most-politicians-are-corrupt-as-they-do-not-represent-the-masses-that/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I just think the most important aspect in being able to have a productive relationship between the teachers' unions and the districts and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-just-think-the-most-important-aspect-in-being-able-to-have-a/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Whenever the media asked me how much I have received in campaign contributions from the fossil fuel industry, my unapologetic answer was, 'Not enough.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-inhofe/whenever-the-media-asked-me-how-much-i-have-received-in-campaign/) [Jim Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-inhofe/) > [Well, the elected officials in both parties are receiving campaign contributions and support through electioneering communications from groups that aren't technically affiliated with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/well-the-elected-officials-in-both-parties-are-receiving-campaign/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [Ultimately, the question of campaign contributions will be decided by the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/ultimately-the-question-of-campaign-contributions-will-be-decided-by/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [ The \[Barack\] Obama administration has both their hands in your pocket. They're trying to take every hard dollar you make to give it out… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-barack-obama-administration-has-both-their-hands-in-your-pocket/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Compassion is the use of public funds to buy votes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/compassion-is-the-use-of-public-funds-to-buy-votes/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [I don't understand it. Jack will spend any amount of money to buy votes but he balks at investing a thousand dollars in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-kennedy/i-don-t-understand-it-jack-will-spend-any-amount-of-money-to-buy/) [Jackie Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-kennedy/) > [Who do you think controls the Republican Party? Big money controls the Republican Party. This is where their campaign contributions come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/who-do-you-think-controls-the-republican-party-big-money-controls-the/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Most successful American politicians look well-fed on endorsements, campaign contributions and chicken dinners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-hoggart/most-successful-american-politicians-look-well-fed-on-endorsements/) [Simon Hoggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-hoggart/) > [The lobbying over China most favored nation trading status was disgusting. There's no way in hell that MFN would have passed in '95, '96,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/the-lobbying-over-china-most-favored-nation-trading-status-was/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [The case may very well be that Congress is willing to restrict campaign contributions because it has these privileges. It is true that incumbents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-tullock/the-case-may-very-well-be-that-congress-is-willing-to-restrict/) [Gordon Tullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-tullock/) > [The reality is we that have a corrupt campaign finance system which separates the American people's needs and desires from what Congress is doing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-reality-is-we-that-have-a-corrupt-campaign-finance-system-which/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [What 'eminent domain' laws mean in practice is that politicians have a right to seize your property and turn it over to someone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/what-eminent-domain-laws-mean-in-practice-is-that-politicians-have-a/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## More by Al Franken > [I want to reclaim 'liberal.' I'm a liberal, and I think most Americans are liberals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-want-to-reclaim-liberal-i-m-a-liberal-and-i-think-most-americans/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [“The Democratic Senator’s Serenity Prayer God Grant Me the Serenity to Accept the Things I Cannot Legislate The Courage to Legislate the Things I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/the-democratic-senator-s-serenity-prayer-god-grant-me-the-serenity-to/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I'm for Israel's right to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-m-for-israel-s-right-to-exist/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [You have to love your country like an adult loves somebody, not like a child loves its mommy. And right-wing Republicans tend to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/you-have-to-love-your-country-like-an-adult-loves-somebody-not-like-a/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Antitrust law isn't about protecting competing businesses from each other, it's about protecting competition itself on behalf of the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/antitrust-law-isn-t-about-protecting-competing-businesses-from-each/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Putin has had many positive experiences working with Western political leaders whose business interests made them more disposed to deal with Russia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/putin-has-had-many-positive-experiences-working-with-western/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I'm crushed by the responsibility of writing a satirical book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-m-crushed-by-the-responsibility-of-writing-a-satirical-book/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [“right wing’s most common techniques—including the deceptive use of statistics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/right-wing-s-most-common-techniques-including-the-deceptive-use-of/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I know I have an awful lot to learn from the people of Minnesota.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-know-i-have-an-awful-lot-to-learn-from-the-people-of-minnesota/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Apple has long been a leading innovator of mobile technology; I myself own an iPhone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/apple-has-long-been-a-leading-innovator-of-mobile-technology-i-myself/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I am a Minnesotan, and not just because I root for the Vikings and the Twins. I like the Minnesota-nice sensibility. I like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-am-a-minnesotan-and-not-just-because-i-root-for-the-vikings-and-the/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [My dad didn't graduate from high school, ended up being a printing salesman, probably never made more than $8,000 a year. My mom sold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/my-dad-didn-t-graduate-from-high-school-ended-up-being-a-printing/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [“As the polls began closing in the East, with states like New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Virginia going for Barack Obama, it was quickly becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/as-the-polls-began-closing-in-the-east-with-states-like-new-hampshire/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Net neutrality isn't a government takeover of the Internet, as many of my Republican colleagues have alleged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/net-neutrality-isn-t-a-government-takeover-of-the-internet-as-many-of/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Demagoguery sells. And therefore, radio stations will put it on. But that doesn't mean that you can't do something else and also make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/demagoguery-sells-and-therefore-radio-stations-will-put-it-on-but/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) [Explore all 245 Al Franken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) ## More Campaign quotes > [If you put everything, your heart and soul into a campaign, it might take you a while to come around to the realization that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/if-you-put-everything-your-heart-and-soul-into-a-campaign-it-might/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [The #MeToo campaign is monumental. It is giving a voice to so many too scared to speak out before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-smart/the-metoo-campaign-is-monumental-it-is-giving-a-voice-to-so-many-too/) [Elizabeth Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-smart/) > [I have a tendency to campaign positively and campaign on issues, not try to tear someone else down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/i-have-a-tendency-to-campaign-positively-and-campaign-on-issues-not/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [I would like to have campaign spending limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-would-like-to-have-campaign-spending-limits/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [The public should begin to understand that there's nothing that comes out of this campaign, or this Obama White House, that they can believe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sununu/the-public-should-begin-to-understand-that-there-s-nothing-that-comes/) [John Sununu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sununu/) > [“It’s true, though, that we struggled to stay on message. My advisors had to deal with a candidate—me—who often wanted something new to say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/it-s-true-though-that-we-struggled-to-stay-on-message-my-advisors-had/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [A digital director shouldn't be out front, but a campaign manager's job is to set a narrative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-parscale/a-digital-director-shouldn-t-be-out-front-but-a-campaign-manager-s/) [Brad Parscale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-parscale/) > [I'm of the philosophy that you wage a campaign of full engagement and you use every tool in the toolbox.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/i-m-of-the-philosophy-that-you-wage-a-campaign-of-full-engagement-and/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [I'm going to have to campaign to teach Bolivians who the president is, because apparently they haven't realized I'm here yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/i-m-going-to-have-to-campaign-to-teach-bolivians-who-the-president-is/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [I injured myself politically when I took on Jesse Jackson' in the 1988 presidential campaign. I was too strident. I didn't recognize the emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/i-injured-myself-politically-when-i-took-on-jesse-jackson-in-the-1988/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [When I campaign with seniors, it's always, 'Are you a Democrat or Republican?' But when I campaign on college campuses, they ask me where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/when-i-campaign-with-seniors-it-s-always-are-you-a-democrat-or/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [It takes a big idea to attract the attention of consumers and get them to buy your product. Unless your advertising contains a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/it-takes-a-big-idea-to-attract-the-attention-of-consumers-and-get/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [The #SwimSexy campaign is redefining standards of beauty, and I'm proud to be a part of it. My hope is that this campaign connects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philomena-kwao/the-swimsexy-campaign-is-redefining-standards-of-beauty-and-i-m-proud/) [Philomena Kwao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philomena-kwao/) > [During a campaign, the trick is to spend no more than 15 to 30 seconds with anyone and to keep moving so that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/during-a-campaign-the-trick-is-to-spend-no-more-than-15-to-30-seconds/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [“...the weather was atrocious. A frightful storm burst upon us. We camped literally in water...To cap our woe, there was no means to light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonce-patry/the-weather-was-atrocious-a-frightful-storm-burst-upon-us-we-camped/) [Leonce Patry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonce-patry/) [Browse all 801 Campaign quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaign/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Campaign contributions don’t buy votes. What they buy is access.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Al Franken" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/campaign-contributions-don-t-buy-votes-what-they-buy-is-access/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Campaign" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/campaign-contributions-don-t-buy-votes-what-they-buy-is-access/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c7/al-franken-1407_campaign_campaign-contributions-don-t-buy-votes-w_513541.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c7/al-franken-1407_campaign_campaign-contributions-don-t-buy-votes-w_513541.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c7/al-franken-1407_campaign_campaign-contributions-don-t-buy-votes-w_513541.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Campaign contributions don’t buy votes. What they buy is access.” — Al Franken", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Al Franken", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Campaign contributions don’t buy votes. What...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/campaign-contributions-don-t-buy-votes-what-they-buy-is-access/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/campaign-contributions-don-t-buy-votes-what-they-buy-is-access/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```