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Showing posts from January, 2012

All That Money

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Now that the election season is beginning, (as if it ever really ends), you'll hear more and more about "money in politics", who's got the biggest donors and how endorsements of candidates transfers into big money donations pouring in. But why does it matter? Who cares how much money a candidate can raise? Why should that translate into that candidate being able to buy his way into the presidency? Sure, they have to pay staff members, managers and rent on campaign headquarters in battleground states. They have to pay for plane tickets and hotels so that they can stay in those states while they campaign, and that all takes money. But, the bulk of their finances, the lion's share of their donations pool goes to... TV ads. Why are TV ads so important? Because Americans are so influenced by television that they will forget who a candidate actually is, and replace them in their minds with the guy the TV says he is. If we didn't allow the ads or the shil