The company's political action committee is one of the top five corporate PAC's.

Consider, for example, the contributions made in the last election cycle by Caterpillar's corporate PAC.

The manager of one large corporate PAC is willing, anonymously, to explain how: "Think of a Congressman who raises an issue of great importance about, say, international trade.

Labor union PAC's, often regarded as the counterpart to corporate PAC's, almost always give more heavily to Democrats than to Republicans.

When the Democrats last controlled Congress four years ago, corporate PAC's split their donations about evenly between the two parties, Citizen Action said.

Republicans also enjoy a tremendous edge with corporate PAC's and among executives for large corporations.

Senator D'Amato has also received more than $50,000 from other high-technology executives and corporate PAC's, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Responses by politicians at all levels are mellowed by funds from the political-action committees - the corporate PAC's.

And the best way to ensure that your politician always wins is to give money to both sides, which is what nearly every corporate PAC does.

The American Telephone & Telegraph Company, the top ranking corporate PAC, raised $1.8 million in 1985-86, followed at a distance by the Philip Morris Inc.