Posts Tagged ‘campaign finance’
Wasted Money: Blame the People, not the Politicians
News that Obama raised 150 million dollars in September, as well as the heightened negative tone from the campaigns, has led some to conclude that the campaigns are being irresponsible by wasting money on their own ambitions. Some argue that the money would be better spent on charity. I agree, although I would remind people that wealth is not created nor destroyed–it is only transferred, so it’s not like that money is disappearing.
But my larger points is that the campaigns are just spending what we, the people, are giving them! Instead of blaming the politicians for “wasting money,” let’s take a good look in the mirror.
Driving to church this morning, I saw political signs on every-other lawn. I found myself feeling resentful toward the signs for both parties. I’m not impressed with either candidate, and I don’t believe either of them has all of the solutions (or even most of them). I can’t imagine liking a politician enough to publicly express my affection for them on my lawn, home, or car. And it will take a pretty special politician for me to hand over a cent of my hard-earned money to them, instead of giving it to a more worthy cause.
No. The candidates, especially this year, will get no more than my vote. And they should be grateful to get even that.
