Using these data sets, what interpretations can plausibly be formed regarding the relationship between economic class and the 2012 Presidential election? What are the implications of the data for the two major theories (pluralist, class domination) of political power? Your essay should draw upon lecture and readings in the course book

REQUIRED TEXTS:
1. D. Stanley Eitzen et al, In Conflict and Order (13th edition)
2. Chuck O’Connell, Reader for Introductory Sociology, (4th edition)
3. James Loewen, Lies My Teacher Told Me

Below are two sets of data about
– the income and wealth of the major candidates for the 2012 election compared to the median income and median wealth of the U.S. population
– the class basis of contributions in U.S. elections from 2000 through 2012

1.) Candidates, income, wealth:

The candidates Income (2011) Wealth (range)
Barack Obama $ 844,585 $ 2.8-11.8 million
Joe Biden (VP) $ 379,000 $ 59,000-360,000
Mitt Romney $20,901,075 $ 190-250 million
Paul Ryan (VP) $ 323,416 $ 7.6 million

Obama’s income 2008: $2.7 million
Obama’s income 2009: $5.5 million
Obama’s income 2010: $1.7 million
Obama’s income 2011: $ 844,585
Four year (2008-2011) average: $2.6 million

U.S. median household income (2010): $ 49,445
U.S. median household wealth (2007): $102,500

2.) Class basis of financial contributions to all candidates in U.S. elections
from 2000 through 2012:

Corporate (capitalist class): 72 -75% of all contributions
Labor (working class): 3 – 7% of all contributions