Perspective runners of the next presidential election in 2012 started raising fund for the money race even before the Election 2010 ended. Several candidates have already put up a financial apparatus, such as Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty. However, compared to Election 2008, the pace of commitment to the next presidential election is slower because of much political uncertainty, suggested by New York Times.
Since the Supreme Court made the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, politicians can receive as much funding as they will. The election cost has tripled over the last decade. Here are the figures of the ever-increasing election cost of 1998-2008, compiled by Open Secret Org.
Cycle Total Cost of Election
2008* $5,285,680,883
2006 $2,852,658,140
2004* $4,147,304,003
2002 $2,181,682,066
2000* $3,082,340,937
1998 $1,618,936,265
I think the increasing importance of fundraising in elections leads to a polarization of power. It induces donors to be more profit-driven, because they use money in a way that forms a coalition with politicians, especially, the chief executive - the highest unilateral power of the nation. They use money as a vihecle to manipulate the business industry, monopolizing power of the labor market and policy-making process. As a result, people at the bottom of the power hierarchy lose their voices, interests, and even rights.
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