They're predicting that the cost of this current presidential election will top 8 billion dollars! Imagine what would happen if that money could be spent to lower the cost of health care, improve our schools, improve our inner cities, etc. It's disgusting...especially in the light of what we'll get for all that money. I know it's not public money, but I can sure think of a thousand ways it could be better spent! How about creating some jobs with it?
Truthfully, it is a drop in the bucket. If all 8B were distributed to everyone they could save $25 on their yearly health insurance. Big numbers are really impressive, but we so often fail to realize they aren't so big when compared to the big number of people in the country.
Interesting comment about it not being public money - rather in line with Obama's statement that we should raise taxes because he knows better how to spend people's money than the owners, the people that earned that money, do.
I vacillate between two schools of thought. One is thinking once a nominee is selected, their party should be issued a budget from the US general fund with limits on advertising. Two is thinking a big part of leadership is the ability to sway people's opinions. A powerful way to prove that ability is getting people to give you their money.
My true conviction is that every dollar donated to a candidate must be documented to show whose money it was. If it's a group, the members of the group need to be revealed. I'm not as worried about the amount. I'm concerned about who gave it.
"Two is thinking a big part of leadership is the ability to sway people's opinions."
Is this what we really want in our politicians? Whether it be by emotional arguments without basis in reality or the use of vote rigging, is it what we want? It makes me think of the snake oil salesmen of the old west: masters at selling a lie, they were quite convincing without ever using truth: exactly what our politicians do as they campaign.
Kathleen is right, what is your alternative? People make their own decisions based on the information at hand and in the Internet age you can have as much of it as you can stand to make judgements and decisions. Democracies require an educated electorate, if you have a better idea, I am all ears.....
"People make their own decisions based on the information at hand"
Just so. But politicians don't give that information, and what is on the internet is so convoluted and difficult to separate from snake oil that few people can be bothered to separate the truth out.
Maybe if we promptly vote out the liars, or those obviously trying to sway from emotion rather than fact? Of course, that assumes the electorate wants the truth instead of what they want it to be.
by Deforest 7 years ago
I am not saying that none of the candidates gathered the 207 electorate votes. I am just stating that a majority of the US citizens vote blank. Will the majority rule?
by MikeNV 13 years ago
That's a Billion a week.How should we spend it.A. In America on AmericansB. In AfghanistanThat's a Real number. $4 Billion a month to fund the war machine and an additional $4 Billion for Civilian Infrastructure (Building roads and schools, etc. for the Afghan people).When you answer......
by Vince Alvino 8 years ago
Do you feel we should send 1.7 billion dollars to Iran?Another Obama screw up that is costing the taxpayers money.
by Jplanet 13 years ago
If you were worth 1 billion dollars would you donate most of it to charities?
by Readmikenow 3 years ago
Texas Files Multi-State Election Lawsuit, Ensuring That Fraud Is Heard By SCOTUS NowOn Monday, just before midnight, the State of Texas filed a lawsuit that is far more important than all of the others surrounding the presidential election of November 3rd.Texas brought a suit against four states...
by Readmikenow 3 years ago
If you want to know what Democrats are guilty of...simply see what they are accusing others of doing. THAT is what they're guilty of doing."Will Democrats accept election loss? New report says no.But there is another, equally pressing question: Will Democrats accept the results of the...
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