It’s no surprise that the elections cost a lot of money. Yes, you have campaigns, rallies, and other marketing gimmicks that help the parties reach a wider audience. When a candidate stands for an election, he/she will work towards the progress of the country. America has a mix of cultures and communities. Every community has its own expectations. But the bigger picture here is to progress as a country. This means better jobs, better salaries, better healthcare, and a better education system.
Funding for elections comes from three major sources. The first one is an individual contribution. Each American citizen contributes up to 2800 dollars during Presidential elections. All major parties will have a political action committee (PAC) that works on the marketing campaigns and more. They raise funds from businessmen or influential people. The final part of the funding is through corporations and labor unions.
Statistics show that George W Bush spent 345 million dollars during his winning elections. Barack Obama spent 730 million dollars in 2008 and 1.14 billion dollars in 2012 respectively. Donald Trump spent 460 million dollars in 2016.
Because there is no limit on time or amount, this has become an expensive affair. A candidate or a party can start promotions way before the elections and spend as much money as they want to. There is no actual limit on spending.
This pandemic, Forbes research suggests that both Donald Trump and Joe Biden spent more on digital advertising than on radio or television. Started off with 5 million dollars, Trump’s campaign has reached 15 million dollars by the end of August 2020. Whereas Biden touched 10 million dollars at the end of August.
Link: www.SSS.media
