(FORTUNE Magazine) – "Everyone does it" is no excuse, but politicians aren't lying when they say selling access for campaign cash is a Washington staple. The next election is 20 months away, but fund givers are already receiving four or more invitations to political fundraisers every day. Some pols resort to heavy-handed marketing, offering golf outings in sunny climes in return for donations. Others are more direct. Both parties solicit so-called soft-money contributions and grant different levels of access for different amounts of money. There are no limits on how big these contributions can be. Republicans (1) spell out exactly what your contributions will buy. (The Democrats have become more discreet and no longer put their price lists on paper.) Even modest invitations can convey subtle messages. When the donee is as influential as Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (2), the lobbyists who organize the function often get to feature themselves on the invitations. House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (3) offered his givers the prospect of meeting every Democrat in the House.

--Jeffrey H. Birnbaum