• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
  • WORLD DEMOCRACY
  • POLITICAL ART
  • more
    • election technology
    • money politics
    • political dissidents
    • THIRD PARTY
      • third party central
      • green party
      • justice party
      • libertarian party
    • voting methods
  • DC INFO
    • author central
    • about
    • advertise with DC
    • contact
    • privacy policy

Democracy Chronicles

Who’s to Blame for Campaign Cash Influence? It’s Everyone

by Josh Stewart - September 7, 2012

FacebookTweetLinkedInPin

 

Campaign Cash Influence

Most observers acknowledge that the recent Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United case opened the floodgates for corporate financial donations to rush into the arena of American politics. The majority opinion essentially allows an unlimited amount of cash to be spent indirectly in order to either promote or discredit a particular candidate. And, as noted in previous articles [see “A (Not So) Surprising Consensus”, 13 March] a majority of Americans are opposed to these so-called “Super-PACS”. The obvious concern regards the level of influence that can be bought–both during and after an election. The logic follows that big money spent on advertisement can sway an election which then demands a return of the favor in the form of “kickbacks” and “earmarks”. But once again, the argument fails to address the fundamental issue.

The question that no one is asking is, “why does campaign spending influence election outcomes?” Furthermore, why do voters allow themselves to be influenced by exorbitant spending? The simple fact is that money is spent because it works. Once the emotion and outrage are stripped away, what remains is merely a cost/benefit analysis that corporations and politicians make. Corporations view donations as an investment that they hope will pay off once the candidate is elected. The candidate, in turn, sees campaign finances as capital borrowed to succeed in the short run. The variable in this equation is the malleability of voter sentiment.

Finding Blame for Campaign Cash Influence?

So, what would happen to this reciprocal relationship if the ability to influence voters was diminished? What would the state of campaign finance in the United States look like if voters were not susceptible to hundreds of millions of dollars in television ads that attempt to both promote a particular candidate while simultaneously deriding their opponent?  Well, revisiting the cost/benefit analysis from before, we find that a corporation’s millions of dollars, funded through a “Super-PAC” will no longer result in the intended sway of voter sentiment.

Consequently, when a candidate fails to reap the benefits in the form of votes, they are less beholden to such financiers. The process now becomes reciprocal in its diminution of influence. Instantly, spending millions on campaigns is no longer a wise investment. Likewise, no massive influx of campaign cash relieves a candidate of the obligation to return the favor.

However, the caveat to this reality is just that: reality. And the reality of the situation is that campaign cash does influence voter sentiment. Yet merely acknowledging this misdeed does not clear the conscience of those whom desire a democratic process that embodies the true sentiment of the electorate. So, absent a world in which voters are not susceptible to the influence of 30 second blurbs filled with out-of-context statements and half-truths, perhaps policies that aim to limit financial influence—be it corporate or private—are not necessarily an assault on free speech after all. We must remember, however, that the privilege of voting requires the exercise of due diligence in remaining informed about all issues and candidates. With an educated electorate, no amount of financial input can influence an outcome.

FacebookTweetLinkedInPin

Filed Under: DC Authors Tagged With: American Corruption, Citizens United, Money Politics

About Josh Stewart

Josh Stewart is a married father of two. His current profession is a firefighter and paramedic in Central Florida for the last 10 years. He is currently a graduate student at University of Central Florida working on a masters’ degree in American and comparative policy. His interests include policy formulation theory and voter sentiment.

Some highlighted Democracy Chronicles topics

Africa American Corruption American Local Elections American State Elections Asia Capitalism and Big Business Celebrity Politics China Democracy Charity Democracy Protests Democrats Dictatorships Education Election History Election Methods Election Security Election Transparency Europe Internet and Democracy Journalism and Free Speech Middle East Minority Voting Rights Money Politics New York City and State Elections Political Artwork Political Dissidents Political Lobbying Redistricting Republicans Russia Socialism and Labor Social Media and Democracy South America Spying and Privacy Supreme Court Third Party Voter Access Voter ID Voter Registration Voter Suppression Voter Turnout Voting Technology Women Voting Rights Worldwide Worldwide Corruption

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Home | DC AUTHORS | Who’s to Blame for Campaign Cash Influence? It’s Everyone

Primary Sidebar

Advertise button

A Dangerous Reprise Of American Exceptionalism In Ukraine

By Jamie Lampidis May 15, 2022

The stakes are too high to cave into Putin’s phantasmatic imperial play, and too high to believe that this war can be won by arming Ukrainians.

On The Coming End Of Roe v. Wade

By Peter J. Dellolio May 11, 2022

Anyone who says that the evolution of law has nothing to do with politics is either very corrupt or very stupid. Laws evolved through the centuries.

democracy chronicles newsletter

DC AUTHORS

Goodbye Roe v. Wade, Goodbye Rule Of Law

By Andrew Straw May 5, 2022

Congress should impeach judges who act like that because it is not good behavior, and they were asked not to act that way when they were confirmed.

PODCAST: Debating The Future Of Debates

By Jenna Spinelle May 4, 2022

We love a good debate — and have certainly had plenty of them on this show. But how effective are they in today’s media and political landscape?

What “Pro-Palestine” Student Groups Get Wrong

By David Anderson, J.D. May 3, 2022

Back then – as now – this fit into a “colonialist” narrative of European Jews oppressing Arabs – an easy, eye pleasing but intellectually lazy fit.

Examining Government As A “Necessary Evil”

By Gary Berton April 29, 2022

Thomas Paine defines government as separate from society, and indeed if society functioned perfectly there would be no need for government.

Ukrainian And Polish History: Fighting The Empires

By Maxim Sidorenko April 26, 2022

On February 24th, Russia started an unprovoked war against Ukraine. It has become one more attempt of the empire to demolish the Ukrainian state.

PODCAST: What Student Debt Says About Democratic Institutions

By Jenna Spinelle April 26, 2022

In a new book, Josh Mitchell draws alarming parallels to the housing crisis, showing the catastrophic consequences student debt has had on families.

Aging White Men Who Commit Voter Fraud Have Nothing To Fear

By Steve Schneider April 22, 2022

The sentences stand in contrast with the actions of the Governor who recently got the state legislature to create an election integrity police force.

MORE FROM OUR AUTHORS

VISIT OUR POLITICAL ART SECTION:

dc political art

DEMOCRACY CULTURE

North Korea Cracks Down On 'Capitalist' Pop Culture

North Korea Cracks Down On ‘Capitalist’ Pop Culture

May 6, 2022

North Korea has increased its campaign against “capitalist” style clothing, others, in broader crackdown on foreign pop culture.

DiCaprio, Ruffalo Urge Brazilians To Vote, Irking Bolsonaro

DiCaprio, Ruffalo Urge Brazilians To Vote, Irking Bolsonaro

May 6, 2022

Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo joined other celebrities making a final push for voters in Brazil to register to vote.

Mock M&M Election Teaches Alaskans About Ranked Voting

Mock M&M Election Teaches Alaskans About Ranked Voting

April 26, 2022

There are paper cups with eight different kinds of M&M near the entrance to Amalga Distillery in Juneau for a mock ranked choice vote.

How Moral Echo Chambers Increase Likelihood Of Radicalism

How Moral Echo Chambers Increase Likelihood Of Radicalism

April 21, 2022

Moral convergence – group of people who share moral standards – emerges in online situations where communities share similar values.

Dr. Oz Seeks To Make History In US Senate Bid

Dr. Oz Seeks To Make History In US Senate Bid

April 16, 2022

Trump’s endorsement of Dr. Oz in the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania adds a new wrinkle to the tight race for GOP nominee in a month.

MORE CULTURE

VISIT OUR US DEMOCRACY SECTION:

American Democracy