<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> WASHINGTON (AP) -- From AT&T to General Motors, several           companies hoping to save their federal subsidies from budget cuts are           helping to pay for cocktail receptions, posh dinners and other glitz at both           political parties' conventions.           Some of the donors have anted up as much as $1 million to each the           Republican and Democratic host committees that are arranging the           entertainment and transportation at the quadrennial events.           The donations allow them to sow good will among the federal, state and           local officials who will attend the GOP event in Philadelphia later this           month and the Democrats' bash in Los Angeles in August.           The companies' good deeds will not go unnoticed. Their names will be           proudly displayed as ``primary partners, ``platinum and gold           benefactors'' and ``trustees'' in the convention programs and on the           literature and placards on display at the events where executives can           hobnob with Washington's elite.           The companies say their motive is simply to advance democracy and help           defray the cost of staging the massive events.           ``We support the democratic process,'' Lockheed Martin spokesman           James Fetig said.           Others locked in the battle to cut what they see as wasteful federal           subsidies to wealthy companies -- the critics call it ``corporate welfare''           -- suspect another motive.           ``One has got to be a moron and extremely naive to believe that the           wealthy corporations are contributing hundreds of millions of dollars just           for the fun of it,'' said Rep. Bernard Sanders, an independent from           Vermont who has led the battle against the subsidies.           The Democratic and Republican parties each get $13.5 million in tax           dollars to pay for their conventions.           But the government allows corporations, unions and individuals to donate           unlimited amounts -- and get a tax deduction -- to convention host           committees.           Eight of the 15 companies that have donated to both conventions' host           committees benefit from the federal programs that some lawmakers are           trying to kill. They also have substantial other business pending with the           government, from contracts to regulatory issues.           GM and DaimlerChrysler have made sizable donations at a time when           they are fighting efforts to trim programs that fund their research and           development.           Last month, the House voted, 214-211, to cut $126.5 million, or about           half the budget, from the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles, a           joint venture between the government and the automakers to develop a           car that gets 80 miles per gallon. The Senate has not decided yet whether           to go along.           GM, which has received $8.7 million under the program, contributed           more than $1 million to each convention's host committee.           DaimlerChrysler, which has gotten $19.7 million, is supporting each to           the tune of $250,000.           Both car companies also have received millions of dollars under the           Commerce Department's Advanced Technology Program, which uses           federal and private dollars to develop new products and is another target           of the budget cutters.           GM donated 400 cars to each convention. ``We consider that a           marketing opportunity, making our vehicles available to an important           group of people,'' spokesman William Noack said.           Several other beneficiaries of the Commerce program also are big givers           to both conventions, including communications giants AT&T, which has           given $1 million to both conventions, and Verizon, the former Bell           Atlantic, which has contributed $1 million for Philadelphia and $100,000           for Los Angeles.           Another target of the corporate subsidy cutters is the Overseas Private           Investment Corporation, which provides loans and insurance for           companies doing business in developing countries. One OPIC customer           is McDonald's, which has contributed $50,000 to the Philadelphia           convention and $25,000 for Los Angeles. Another is insurance giant           American International Group, which gave $500,000 for Philadelphia           AIG and a subsidiary, SunAmerica, also gave $1 million each for Los           Angeles.           Keith Ashdown, a spokesman for Taxpayers for Common Sense, an           advocacy group that supports cutting corporate subsidies, worries about           the effect of such donations.           ``It is no secret that money that goes to grease the wheels of these           political conventions makes it difficult to stop the corporate welfare           machine,'' Ashdown said.           But another opponent of the subsidies disagrees, saying constituent           concerns often drive lawmakers' interests more than political money.           ``Members don't look past the fact that a corporation might have           employees in their district, might have subcontractors in their district,''           said Rep. Joseph Hoeffel, D-Pa. ``One man's corporate welfare is           another man's desperately needed government program.''           ------      </html>