Elections? Democracy for the highest bidder?

[connda]

From CNBC: Billionaires spent 880 million USD on elections in 2022.  Imagine that will be over 1 billion USD in 2024.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/03/american-billionaires-spent-a-record-880-million-on-the-us-midterm-elections-.html

 

 

I'm just a dumb US expatriate, but for some reason it seems to me that the outcomes of elections are unduly influenced by the money from billionaires and large corporations  (thank you SCOTUS via Citizen United vs FEC).  The average citizens of the US don't have this kind of leverage via campaign contributions as billionaires and corporations.  Then when someone is elected, then they become beholding to their sugar-daddy contributors. Do they work for the interests of the US citizens?  Nope - they work for the interests of the billionaire and corporate sponsors who put them into office. This is "Democracy?"
I don't think so.  Not by a long shot.  This is pathetic.

 

 

[TedG]

1 hour ago, connda said:

From CNBC: Billionaires spent 880 million USD on elections in 2022.  Imagine that will be over 1 billion USD in 2024.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/03/american-billionaires-spent-a-record-880-million-on-the-us-midterm-elections-.html

 

 

I'm just a dumb US expatriate, but for some reason it seems to me that the outcomes of elections are unduly influenced by the money from billionaires and large corporations  (thank you SCOTUS via Citizen United vs FEC).  The average citizens of the US don't have this kind of leverage via campaign contributions as billionaires and corporations.  Then when someone is elected, then they become beholding to their sugar-daddy contributors. Do they work for the interests of the US citizens?  Nope - they work for the interests of the billionaire and corporate sponsors who put them into office. This is "Democracy?"
I don't think so.  Not by a long shot.  This is pathetic.

 

 

 

 

You should read this link

 

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/money-and-elections-a-complicated-love-story/

[TedG]

1 hour ago, connda said:

From CNBC: Billionaires spent 880 million USD on elections in 2022.  Imagine that will be over 1 billion USD in 2024.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/03/american-billionaires-spent-a-record-880-million-on-the-us-midterm-elections-.html

 

 

I'm just a dumb US expatriate, but for some reason it seems to me that the outcomes of elections are unduly influenced by the money from billionaires and large corporations  (thank you SCOTUS via Citizen United vs FEC).  The average citizens of the US don't have this kind of leverage via campaign contributions as billionaires and corporations.  Then when someone is elected, then they become beholding to their sugar-daddy contributors. Do they work for the interests of the US citizens?  Nope - they work for the interests of the billionaire and corporate sponsors who put them into office. This is "Democracy?"
I don't think so.  Not by a long shot.  This is pathetic.

 

 

 

BTW, Hillary outspent Trump 2:1.  How did that work out? 

[connda]

15 hours ago, TedG said:

 

 

You should read this link

 

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/money-and-elections-a-complicated-love-story/

Unfortunately I'm acutely aware and have been since the Citizens United vs FEC decision.  What we see now is a direct result.

[bamnutsak]

It doesn't help that

 

the FEC is neutered (3:3)

SCOTUS made corporations "people" (Citizens United)

Rules/oversight on PACs is all but non-existent

 

 

 

 

 

 

[earlinclaifornia]

 

[riclag]

On 9/2/2024 at 7:41 PM, connda said:

From CNBC: Billionaires spent 880 million USD on elections in 2022.  Imagine that will be over 1 billion USD in 2024.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/03/american-billionaires-spent-a-record-880-million-on-the-us-midterm-elections-.html

 

 

I'm just a dumb US expatriate, but for some reason it seems to me that the outcomes of elections are unduly influenced by the money from billionaires and large corporations  (thank you SCOTUS via Citizen United vs FEC).  The average citizens of the US don't have this kind of leverage via campaign contributions as billionaires and corporations.  Then when someone is elected, then they become beholding to their sugar-daddy contributors. Do they work for the interests of the US citizens?  Nope - they work for the interests of the billionaire and corporate sponsors who put them into office. This is "Democracy?"
I don't think so.  Not by a long shot.  This is pathetic.

 

 

It was for the looser Harris!

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/09/politics/harris-billion-fundraising-election/index.html