Fifty-seven percent (57%) of American adults say political donors get more than their money back in terms of favors from members of Congress.

Just 16% disagree, and 26% are not sure in the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

At the same time, 68% say most business leaders contribute to political campaigns primarily because the government can do so much to help or hurt their business. Only eight percent (8%) disagree.

Among business managers in the private sector, 83% say business leaders give primarily because of concern about what the government can do to their business. But those same business leaders are less likely than anybody else to think that donors get their money’s worth: 56% think donors get a good return on investment, while 34% do not.

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Data released yesterday shows that Americans strongly believe elected officials meet with regulators to help their friends and hurt their opponents. Taken together, these figures suggest that most Americans view the political fund-raising process as something like an extortion scheme where those with business before the government can be shaken down legally. Rod Blagojevich was recently removed from office as governor of Illinois based upon similar allegations.

Americans also tend to believe that governors and members of Congress are a relatively cheap date. Most (51%) say you can influence an official for less than $50,000 in contributions. That figure includes 29% who say the price of influence is less than $10,000. At the other extreme, only 18% believe it takes more than $100,000 to buy or rent influence.

Upper income Americans are more likely than those with lower incomes to say you can influence a congressman or governor for $50,000 or less. Business managers are more likely to say the price of influence tops $100,000.

Forty percent (40%) of Americans say it should be against the law for elected officials to receive any campaign contributions, but another 40% disagree. Republicans are a bit more receptive to this idea than Democrats, and business managers favor it by a 41% to 37% margin. Those with higher incomes are less receptive to the concept than those who earn less than $40,000 annually.

Americans are also evenly divided on the question of whether new campaign finance laws are needed. Forty-three percent (43%) say yes, but 42% say all that’s required is to enforce the laws already on the books. A plurality of Democrats favor new laws, a plurality of Republicans favor enforcement, and those not affiliated with either major party are evenly divided. Earlier surveys have shown that there is little support for public funding of campaigns.

It should be emphasized that these views do not have a partisan twist to them. Despite the highly publicized tax troubles faced by recent Obama appointees, those appointed by the incoming administration are on balance seen as no more or less ethical than earlier appointees. The president himself receives good marks for ethics, with 43% saying he is more ethical than most politicians. Another 31% say he is at least as ethical as most politicians.

Overall, the president continues to earn high job approval ratings although his numbers have slipped in the past week. Most voters say Congress is doing a poor job.

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