Like a never-ending arms race, the price to become president has skyrocketed.
In 2020, almost $6 billion was spent on the presidential race alone, roughly four times what it cost two decades ago. (Even adjusting for inflation, it cost almost three times as much as in 2000.)
Including congressional races, the cost was more than $14 billion, double that of 2016.
In the last open GOP primary in 2016, candidates spent roughly $400 million, followed closely by super PACs, for $768 million in total primary spending, according to the former Campaign Finance Institute (which has since merged with Open Secrets).
In this cycle, candidate spending is expected to jump to at least $500 million with super PACs again spending about the same or a little less than the campaigns.
I mean, I know why our elections don’t work like that. Current politicians like the system that keeps them in office. It’s also very difficult to change the process.
I strongly believe that until we fix the election process, everything we do is treating symptoms rather than the problem. In addition to the mentioned rules, I would add: Term limits, ending gerrymandering, banning stock ownership for politicians, and removing the electoral college.
How can we expect non-corrupt representatives, when the current system begs for money and has so many loopholes to profit from office?