If you had 1.6 billion dollars what would you buy? You could buy 64 Olympic pools of Nutella, feed the homeless population of America for five years or mastermind a campaign to buy your way into elected office.
According to the New York Times, the 2012 presidential campaigns spent around 1.6 billion dollars. If you include the Senate, House of Representatives and others local representatives, this total increases to 6 billion dollars. This season held the most expensive elections ever.
This spending would have not have been feasible in the past, but now SuperPacs have been introduced into the political realm. These Super PACs such as “Restore our Future” and “Priorities USA Action” raised massive amounts of money.
In the past, Super PACs were illegal, yet re-introduced in 2010 when the court case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission was approved. The argument is that companies should be able to protect their interest. Therefore, they should be able to have the capability to heavily financially donate to their preferred candidate.
Super PACs with massive budgets could serve as organizations that could educate the American people, over radio and TV. But, something very different happened.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Obama’s biggest SuperPac, Priorities USA Action, spent 100 percent of funding to criticize opposing views. Similarly Romney’s biggest Super PAC, Restore our Future spent 90 percent of their financing criticizing opposing candidates.
Instead of a way to learn more about candidates, these independent Super PACs seemed to exist with the sole purpose of tearing down the opposition.
These negative advertisements have succeeded only in creating an economic boom for television and radio stations.
These negative advertisements have increased tensions in an even more polarized nation. American citizens have not learned how to formulate balanced views, and as a result our populace is rife with extremist views over questionable and exaggerated content.
In another four years the expensive presidential battle will resume.
As candidates wonder how should they run, it would be in the best interest of America for them not to have to worry about the money. Our public officials should be concentrated on making the best plans for America.
As a nation we are highly influenced by the money being thrown into campaigns and negativity should not be the influence our views. We need to truly learn the views of the candidates, instead of being focused on criticizing others.