US midterms set to become most expensive elections in country's history -- $5 Billion

Source: The Guardian

US midterms set to become most expensive elections in country's history

Five times as much to be spent than in presidential race of 2008, as Democrats look set for mauling at polls

Ewen MacAskill in Washington guardian.co.uk, Monday 4 October 2010 18.08 BST

The US midterm elections are on course to become the most expensive in history next month, estimated at well over $5bn (£3.15bn) – an indication of how much is riding on the outcome of the biggest test of US public opinion since the 2008 White House race.

With the Democrats facing electoral disaster and Barack Obama battling to save his presidency, the Republicans are resurgent, their campaign chests bursting with money from big corporations whose spending power has been unleashed by a supreme court ruling earlier this year providing anonymity for donors.

The estimated $5bn dwarfs the $1bn spent on the White House race.

Public Citizen, a non-profit organisation that tracks corporate spending on elections and lobbying, said today Republicans had received six times more cash than the Democrats last month, and this could rise to 10 to one this month. Much of the cash had come from Wall Street, banking and the health and pharmaceuticals industry, it said.


Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/04/us-midterms-most-expensive-elections

Incredible. And scary.

I wonder how the SC members who voted for this can sleep at night knowing that the money that big corporations is spending could benefit so many in need?

How many jobs does $5 Billion Dollars cover?

Disgraceful.

> I wonder how the SC members who voted for this can sleep at night knowing
> that the money that big corporations is spending could benefit so many in need?

The SC members get their cut, they check their bank accounts, they go to sleep.

It's the same process for the politicians too (on both sides of the aisle).

Bought & sold ... and totally beyond your control.

Enjoy the facade of a "free" election ...

Follow the money indeed.

now how much of that money comes from foreign entities?

at least in the positive direction.

Unadjusted for inflation, these headlines are always a bit less relevant.

The spending has been increasing far faster than inflation. It's relevant because it's in the dollars in use now.

The rest of us are spectators just like NFL Fans.

The candidates who spend the most money, especially out of their own bank account, think they can buy their way into the government. They are bought and sold by big business. Total patsies. Let's show them they cannot. It is time to change this habit that has totally fucked this country up. You saw the clip of Boner handing out checks for cigarette companies during what was supposed to be a House Meeting.
Wake up and smell the coffee, folks. Vote for the best democrat.

Just like any other...

belongs to the repukes.

Yeah, "we" (thanks, kids!) are putting $5 billion a day on the national MasterCard.

$5 billion for the midterms would be cheap indeed if - but only if - we got a competent government that could slow the runaway train before it hurtles off the bridge.

Now you know why the media will do anything necessary, including making shit up, to insure any race is a horse race. They stand to literally rake in billions of dollars in advertising revenue (a portion of which is dutifully laundered back to their on-the-payroll congressmen as bribes "campaign contributions.")