I think many of the nation’s problems would go away with meaningful campaign finance reform. An unimaginable $5.5 billion was spent on this year’s presidential election cycle. Another $10.2 billion was spent on Congressional races. Couldn’t that $15.9 billion have been put to better use?
Chart shows numbers
The chart below shows the numbers, as does the graph illustrating this column. These figures all come from Open Secrets, a website I admire and suggest you visit.
| Cycle | Total Cost of Election | Congressional Races | Presidential Race |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024* | $15,901,068,285 | $10,286,346,287 | $5,514,721,998 |
| 2022 | $9,499,442,274 | $9,499,442,274 | N/A |
| 2020* | $18,339,583,484 | $10,624,262,301 | $7,715,321,061 |
| 2018 | $7,147,705,108 | $7,147,705,108 | N/A |
| 2016* | $8,510,291,646 | $5,390,578,783 | $3,119,712,861 |
| 2014 | $5,089,360,685 | $5,089,360,685 | N/A |
| 2012* | $8,588,751,063 | $5,006,779,428 | $3,581,971,632 |
| 2010 | $5,236,765,862 | $5,236,765,862 | N/A |
| 2008* | $7,594,783,742 | $3,571,966,194 | $4,022,817,547 |
| 2006 | $4,404,146,445 | $4,404,146,445 | N/A |
| 2004* | $6,889,472,526 | $3,716,210,321 | $3,173,262,204 |
| 2002 | $3,800,687,543 | $3,800,687,543 | N/A |
| 2000* | $5,615,211,015 | $3,040,886,225 | $2,574,324,789 |
| 1998 | $3,118,941,069 | $3,118,941,069 | N/A |
| * Presidential election cycle | |||
What could we do?
How many houses would this build to help with the nation’s critical housing shortage? If there are 500 people, they say, living in tents in tiny Eureka Springs, AR, just how bad is this problem elsewhere? Instead of ordinances banning camping, perhaps we could find creative solutions for many of these families.
And what about hunger? Maternal health? Lack of adequate childcare? As many states rush to make abortion illegal, where’s the support for the children they force mothers to bring into the world? $15.9 billion would help.
Donation limits?
Couldn’t we have reasonable limits on how much someone can donate to a campaign? Is $5,000 or even $50,000 unreasonable? These are the people’s elections, not corporation elections, not billionaire elections, though certainly Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos can vote and make reasonable donations.
And then there are PACs
And then we have the PACs, Political Action Committees. They aren’t bad on their surface. The problem is that large donors and corporate donors can give to them. And they are not required to disclose their sources. So who knows where the money is coming from? I’ll bet you the candidates themselves eventually do because big donors want big favors.
Citizens United
And then we have Citizens United. That U.S. Supreme Court case ruled that corporations are treated as individuals when it comes to elections. Some candidates refuse corporate dollars. A few also refuse PAC money, sometimes to their own detriment. Seventy-nine in the 118th (current) Congress, up from 59 in the 117th said no to PACs.
Even then, there are jobs and gifts
Everyone should worry, too, about some of the do-little-to-nothing jobs some Congressional spouses have in Washington. The jobs and incomes of spouses of members of Congress should be disclosed publicly. And need I even mention the U.S, Supreme Court? Those spousal jobs and income need disclosure. And the justices also need to disclose all gifts, including travel, support for parents and grandchildren, a la Justice Thomas. We cannot have a court that rules on matters in which they or a spouse has an interest or regarding parties from whom they have received gifts. Again, these are the PEOPLE’s public servants, not billionaires or corporations.
Perhaps, now isn’t the time but push, push, push
With such a divided and GOP-tilted Congress, this may not be the time for passage. But please let’s keep pushing.