Stephan: The corruption in the United States political system as a result of the legalized bribery made possible by the Citizens United decision has reached a level unseen in any other developed democracy. Basically, varying combinations of the 724 billionaires, the 28 million millionaires, and the corporations they control, rent the Congress to get what they want and the other 305 million Americans have to live with what they decide. That is why we have no family leave, the shortest vacation leave, the smallest childcare, the worst maternal healthcare, low minimum wage, voter suppression, absurdly low corporate taxation, and the list goes on and on. The whole system is rigged, and the only thing that is ever going to change it is every citizen voting for Democrats -- the only party that still cares about preserving democracy -- and then pressuring them to create a government based on fostering wellbeing first in all policies. Is that going to happen? It is up to you.
Senatorial candidate Mike Gibbons speaks to supporters during a campaign rally in Maineville, Ohio. Credit: Jeff Dean/AP
Months before the first Senate primary vote will be cast this year, there’s a spending spree unrivaled by any election cycle in history.
In Ohio, where a handful of millionaires are chasing the GOP nomination, two Senate hopefuls have each already plowed $10 million into their campaigns — and the primary isn’t until May. In neighboring Pennsylvania, a political strategist involved in the open Senate race anticipates $110 to $130 million in spending on TV advertisements in the Republican primary alone — nearly as much as both parties combined spent on ads during the state’s entire 2016 Senate election.
Together, Senate candidates from both parties have already bought $131 million worth of television advertisements. That’s more than double what was spent on Senate races at this point in 2020 or 2018, according to a POLITICO analysis of data from AdImpact, an ad tracking service.
It’s a sign of the fierce trench warfare ahead in an election year where the loss of a […]
This system will not change under Democrat or Republican rule. The profits are too sweet.