Media Benefits From Citizens United
Maybe this is why the media does not get riled up over Citizens United. They are big winners when it comes time to get paid during a election campaign.
The obvious beneficiaries of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision by the Supreme Court in 2010 are the wealthy and the oligarchs who control many of our industries. Instead of being a country where the motto is "one man, one vote" we have quickly evolved where it is now "one dollar, one vote". Interestingly those who most often support Citizens United are the same people who claim to support the constitution that brought about the concept of one man one vote. Now they just interpret it differently.
Our elected officials and regulators are not too keen on amending the constitution to reverse Citizens United because after all it is they who are receiving much of the benefits bestowed by the wealthy in the form of campaign contributions. In addition there is the cadre of pollsters, speech writers and political consultants that are barring much of the fruit from Citizens United. When you have more money you find ways to spend it.
Further, let's not forget the additional attorneys, accountants, video production professionals and speech writers that have increased their wealth as a result of Citizens United. They have much to be thankful for. Most of all let us not forget the media.
Above is a chart prepared by OpenSecrets.org comparing national Presidential and Congressional elections from 1998 through 2012. In that time period the cost of the Presidential election nearly doubled, but it was less than the 2008 election.
Below is a breakdown of 2012 national campaign contributions by those giving $200 or less to those giving more than $200. Those giving greater than $200 represent 1/2 of 1% of the countries population and more than 63% of the total contributions given. Once again this chart was prepared by OpenSecrets.org.
The obvious beneficiaries of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision by the Supreme Court in 2010 are the wealthy and the oligarchs who control many of our industries. Instead of being a country where the motto is "one man, one vote" we have quickly evolved where it is now "one dollar, one vote". Interestingly those who most often support Citizens United are the same people who claim to support the constitution that brought about the concept of one man one vote. Now they just interpret it differently.
Our elected officials and regulators are not too keen on amending the constitution to reverse Citizens United because after all it is they who are receiving much of the benefits bestowed by the wealthy in the form of campaign contributions. In addition there is the cadre of pollsters, speech writers and political consultants that are barring much of the fruit from Citizens United. When you have more money you find ways to spend it.
Further, let's not forget the additional attorneys, accountants, video production professionals and speech writers that have increased their wealth as a result of Citizens United. They have much to be thankful for. Most of all let us not forget the media.
"Despite all the declarations that everything is going on the Internet, the biggest industry beneficiary of campaign spending is any business that works with broadcast media," said David M. Mason, a former FEC chair who now helps mostly Republican-related campaigns comply with federal and state regulatory requirements. "It's always been advertising for as long as we've really had good data on election spending." CNN, The Billion Dollar Election: Who Got Paid November 9, 2012
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Below is a breakdown of 2012 national campaign contributions by those giving $200 or less to those giving more than $200. Those giving greater than $200 represent 1/2 of 1% of the countries population and more than 63% of the total contributions given. Once again this chart was prepared by OpenSecrets.org.
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| Click On Image To Enlarge |
As a voter do you still believe every voter has the same impact on elections?
Their bucks did not influence me at polls, and my man Obama won!
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