ABSTRACT
Today the parties play a diminished role, but political consultants often operate in their place. Some candidates pay consultants fees for advice; others buy advertisements, polls, and related services from consulting firms. Consultants are more adept at discovering weaknesses in opponents' voting records and resumes—so-called opposition research. The American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) has in fact adopted a code of ethics, but no one has ever been disciplined under it, nor do consultants have to join the AAPC. A concept of political leadership must be realistic: politicians operate in a highly competitive field, one that rarely tolerates fastidious ethical standards or unrestrained idealism. Some consultants now work as lobbyists between campaigns, using their skills to influence legislation and benefiting from their relationships with former clients who now hold office. Most of the people understand "grassroots" politics and the process of building "coalitions" in a very different way from that now advanced by political consultants.
