2010 Election Spending Up 40 Percent, Watchdog Estimates

[sabra]

Source: ABC News

Too Soon To Tell Whether 'Citizens United' Decision Unleashed Corporate Cash, Experts Say

With just under two weeks before voters head to the polls, the 2010 midterm election cycle is on track to be the most expensive in history, flush with 40 percent more cash than in 2008, according to the latest figures from the nonpartisan Campaign Finance Institute.

The group estimates $564 million will be spent by political committees and nonprofit groups this year, including $334 million by pro-Republican organizations and $230 million by pro-Democratic groups.

Experts say spending by independent third-parties are driving the surge, infusing 73 percent more cash into the campaign through mid-October than they did two years ago.

President Obama and top Democrats have pointed to the record sums as the basis for their criticism of groups like Crossroads GPS and Americans for Prosperity, which don't have to disclose the identities of their donors.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/vote-2010-citizens-united-responsible-record-election-campaign/story?id=11910807

[ixion]

1. here's a big chunk of the "bailout"

coming back to the original crew, as planned.

[marmar]

2. Obscene.......

Any illusions that we still live in a democracy have gone up in smoke.