A visual summary of a project describing the impact of campaign spending on policy making.

1. "No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which
the far greater part of the members are poor and
miserable."
- Adam Smith

2. In 1952, corporate
income tax provided 33%
of total Federal tax
receipts. By 2013, it had
fallen to 10%.
In the 2012 election, 28
percent of all disclosed
political contributions came
from just 31,385 people.
In a nation of 313.85 million,
these donors represent the 1%
of the 1%, an elite class that
increasingly serves as the
gatekeepers of public
office in the United
States.

4. Ever since the Supreme Court opened up the ultimate floodgates with its
2010 Citizens United decision, each subsequent election has seen record-
breaking amounts of money donated and spent.
The 2012 presidential campaign was the first $2 billion election; campaign
2016 is expected to hit the $5 billion mark without breaking a sweat.
By comparison...Republicans and
Democrats spent just under $13 million
combined in 1956 when Eisenhower won
his second term.

5. If free speech is the ability of the individual member of society to weigh in on the situation around him,
how should we really describe the weight of wealthy contributors?
Is their voice more valuable? It is certainly, in a political arena more tightly than ever tied to the favor of
wealthy donors, louder.
How can the prosperity of the greater part of society be assured if the lesser part speaks with more assured
freedom?
The answer is that the scales are out of balance.
● Corporations are not citizens
● Money is not speech
● Fundraising is not the role of
the legislator
● Prioritize the rights of actual
citizens in creating our law.
● Limit the contributions to
accurately reflect the value
of the donor’s voice.
● Give politicians room to do
what is right rather than
what buys them a seat at the