Why is America’s Campaign Season Far Longer than Any Other Nation in the World?

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart

 

The answer to the question posed by the title of this article is simple if you know anything about your country in the 21^st century. The answer is “follow the money.”

America is all about money and nothing else is of equal importance. Elections are the most costly and worthless expense you might imagine. Campaigns for seats in the House and Senate cost millions of dollars although the job’s basic salary is $174,000 per year. Why would anyone spend such an exorbitant amount of money to seek a basic income that would barely pay for necessary expenses? You know the answer, through acts of corruption and the lack of term limits, most men and women in government are millionaires.

Years with a general election are the biggest waste of money in America next to an escalating military budget, and billions of dollars in gifts to foreign nations. The money spent on presidential campaigns, which last between 12-18 months on average, could be used to purchase homes, pay for universal healthcare, or fund education for every person in America. Instead, billions of dollars are wasted on travel, rallies, television ads, and attempting to secure the votes of men and women although they will never work for you after the elections are over.

The two candidates in 2020, Joe Biden and Donald Trump, spent an estimated 4.1 billion dollars over 24 months. The money spent by all candidates reached the ludicrous number of between 14 and 15 billion dollars. The irony is that Republicans complain about government spending but happily accept donations from our nation’s wealthiest citizens. Right wing politicians are not serious or competent men and women.

The longest campaign in all other nations is about 90 days. There’s something very wrong with our system. Sadly, it appears to be broken beyond repair.

Conservatives are right about how much money our government wastes. However, they are only focused on reasons which serve the majority of Americans. They never mention the real culprits.

First and foremost the men and women who call themselves “Republicans” continue to give huge tax breaks to the wealthy. The super-rich have not paid their fair share of taxes for nearly five decades. Second, these same men and women continue to raise the Pentagon’s annual budget, which is nearing one trillion dollars. Our military wastes fifty cents of every dollar and we have lost every war since WWII. Third, they vote on every issue as instructed by lobbyists. Their sole purpose is to protect special interests, not to serve the majority of the electorate. They have created a plutocracy and a plutocracy can only exist with the protection of a fascist government.

Throwing money away to win elections is of no importance to right wing politicians. Only maintaining power and increasing their personal wealth have any importance.

Without great change, including term limits and ridding our legislature of the old white men who have failed us for years can save America’s future.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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