Why do politicians spend more money to get elected than they could possibly make?

Look at the Clinton's worth, or Al Gore (I'm not mentioning Bush because his family already had money), before and after their being elected, and you'll see a HUGE difference in income.

Plus, if you serve for only six years, you get full salary and benefits for the rest of your life - even after you are not elected for another term.

Your question virtually answers itself and belies the basic problem with American politics.

Unfortunately not all people who vote are interested in politics and thus pick out a name. President Truman was famous for saying that he didn't care what the news said about him as long as they used his name often. Money buys ads and the more ads the better chance the politician will win.

1) It is not THEIR money, usually. It is usually contributors' money -- lobbyists for one group or company or another looking for legislative favors to get special treatment and/or taxpayer money.

2) They make more than you think. The "money laundering" laws do not apply to them. Outright graft and bribery is the rule. The Illinois Boganavitch (spelling?) case is noteworthy only because it is the exception that got wide attention. They make speech money, they get trips, they get sinecures and "consulting" positions after leaving office that pay even more than their government jobs...

It is really a sweet deal. The more corrupt and two-faced you are, the better you do in politics. Republican or Democrat.

This is for me a big problem with our goverment system.It allows the politicians to get money from big companys and intrest group (usualy with the unspoken agreement that the politcian will help the said giver). They use this money to spread their faces on tv radios ,papers and phone calls to the public. It is now a contest of who see who and hears who the most. Its wrong and should change.You will never see a poor person being able to run .After all you need to be doing well in your private life for the money to be given to you .Face it if you are not money connected they will not give you the time of day.Money is power and our goverment is using campain money to make sure they have the best public image they can.We now elect the potlticians on what they drive , how they dress and how good they look.When we should be able to have access to every part of their lives before they get elected ,because how they have run and treat people in their home lives will reflect how they run the goverment. But alas as long as lobbyst and campain support (money) is how they run for election ,we will continue to have power hungrey corrupt goverment patting us on the head and and saying ' there ,there, don't worry your little heads about it . We know best'.

The only explanation I can think of is that they have a deep-seated interest in the welfare of every single person in our Great United States of America. I don't know of a single politician that has ever abused the system. They are of course looking after our best interest.

IN A PIG'S ASS!

BECAUSE IT IS NOT MONEY AT ALL, IT IS OUR BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS.

THE NATION WAS BANKRUPT LONG AGO BY "SALAMI TACTICS", AND PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS HAVE BEEN THE AUCTION BLOCKS OF INTERNATIONAL SLAVE TRADING SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE PRIVATE FEDERAL RESERVE TRAFFICKING CARTEL.