28 August, 2012

Follow the money

It's a mistake to think that one can simply buy an election.  Money is important in a system where access to media can be so expensive, but in itself it isn't enough.  What the money trail can show, however, is where the people investing their cash think their interests lie.  It can also show us how many people are willing to put their money on the line, and by looking at the percentage of their resources invested we can get some idea of the strength of their feelings.  With that in mind, compare the organizations and their members associated with three major candidates for president in 2012:

Also note that a government agency can't invest in a political campaign.  That means that Paul's money came not from the organizations directly, but from the troops and civilians whose lives are most directly on the line when it comes to issues of war and peace.  These are also the people who have the least money to contribute.  When considered as a percentage of their wealth the pattern is even more remarkable.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

There is no profit to be made by donating to unelectable candidates. If Ron Paul had real chances of victory, he would also have received large corporate donations.