This article in Vox tries top summarize the current state of financing elections - especially in the wake of court decisions which have allowed for almost unlimited spending:
If you wanted a single sentence to sum up the state of our modern campaign finance system, it would be hard to do better than this one from the Washington Post's Matea Gold and Tom Hamburger:
One longtime bundler recently fielded a call from a dispirited executive on his yacht, who complained, "We just don't count anymore."
This is what we've come to: the rich businessman on his yacht feels out of the loop, because campaigns only care about billionaires.
Click here for the article: In 2016 campaign, the lament of the not quite rich enough.
Billionaires pack the biggest punch in elections right now, meaning that people that once mattered - the merely rich - don't anymore. Potential candidates for the presidency are focusing attention on the the needs of ultra rich. It makes it easier for them to get the cash necessary to make a viable run for the White House.
By the way, in case you wonder what a "bundler" is - here's a description:
Bundling describes the activity of fundraisers who pool a large number of campaign contributions from political action committees (PACs) and individuals. Bundlers, who are often corporate CEOs, lobbyists, hedge fund managers or independently wealthy people, are able to funnel far more money to campaigns than they could personally give under campaign finance laws.
Billionaires don't need to bundle.
Here's more on the well heeled donors who are attempting to control the 2016 race.
- The Kochs put a price on 2016: $889 million.
- Billionaires Alter 2016 Playing Field.
