Campaign Spending and the Budget Crisis

Have you ever noticed that during the political campaigns it almost always comes down to raising money - endless piles of money and that is key word here; endless.

Since there is no limit as to how much anyone can spend in a campaign it is simply a matter or being a pro of a fundraiser - or having something of value to someone in order to get their money.  So the loop is raise and spend to raise some more.  Management isn't in the equation.

When these raise and spenders get into office they spend a lot of their time raising yet more money and we foolish saps keep the flow coming in the hopes that we will be remembered fondly.  We don't reward anyone on how well they manage the money we give them to get elected.  We don't care. All we know is that if we raise $6 million, about average to run a congressional campaign in a mid-sized district/market, and give it to this guy or gal, the only grades are A=yes I won or F=no I lost.

So Jr. here gets elected and then we say, "First order of business Jr., you got a few trillion dollars worth of money to spend. Make that budget work".  Jr. hasn't managed a dime other than to spend everything that he raises and now you tell him that the money bin is "finite" and not "infinite" and more money in is only by taxes and NOT by someone buying a favor.  Jr. goes absolutely crazy because he can't do it and has never done it and has no history of ever doing it.

We have 535 congressmen and women, and the senators, who spend every dime they can get their mits on and who have only one answer to getting elected which is raise more money then we charge them to do just the opposite.

Perhaps it is time to say - OK Jr.  You can raise and spend $1 million only. NO MORE. No one else can spend any money supporting you or the other guy so don't try. If you do you are out.  Let's see if you can manage a million effectively before we trust you with the mother lode.

Worth a shot.