swagandpassion asks: So campaigns raise funds from various avenues & use the funds to buy tv time for ads as well as other things. I just feel in light of everything going on, the millions upon millions raised would be much better served actually going to help people wherever the ads are being aired.-like funds being donated to food banks, the Salvation Army, etc. I feel Citizens United was just wrong. My question is approximately how much money is raised nationally during campaign season and how much goes to ads?
» SFB says: The numbers are fluid, but fortunately for us, the Sunlight Foundation has compiled all the 2010 info into numbers, graphics and the whole bit. You can even search by candidate. We definitely see where you’re coming from — all this outside money could go to better use. $454 million spent by outside groups in the 2010 election season — just think, how many $40,000-per-year middle-class jobs would that money pay for? Wait, we have the answer. Eleven thousand jobs.
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