Thought Theater

At the close of the first quarter of 2007, the money being raised for the 2008 presidential race is shattering previous records and some suggest that following the selection of the two candidates, we may be heading for the first billion dollar presidential campaign race. While I understand the need to fund campaigns, at some point the pursuit of cash will eclipse the importance of ideas and abilities...if it hasn't already done so. In this "land of opportunity", I wonder if we've reached the point at which each opportunity is subject to the amount of money one can amass in order to purchase it. The following is from The Associated Press:

BOSTON - Republican Mitt Romney reported Monday he had raised $23 million for his presidential campaign during the first three months of the year, shaking up the GOP field. Sen. John McCain of Arizona lagged with $12.5 million raised.

Meanwhile, the current leader in Republican presidential surveys, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, said his donations totaled $15 million — including more than $10 million raised during March alone.

On their own, the Romney, Giuliani and McCain totals blew away past party presidential fundraising standards, but Romney's figure put the former Massachusetts governor in competition with Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic front-runner. The New York senator on Sunday reported raising $26 million between Jan. 1 and March 31.

In the Democratic race, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) has yet to release his total, touching off speculation of an announcement equivalent to the figure reported by Clinton.

Among the other Democratic candidates, aides to former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards said his $14 million in new contributions included $1 million for the general election.

The prior records for first-quarter fundraising were held by Republican Phil Gramm of Texas and Democrat Al Gore of Tennessee. Gramm raised $8.7 million in 1995, while Gore raised $8.9 million in 1999. Gramm dropped out race before New Hampshire's 1996 primary, while Gore went on to win the 2000 Democratic nomination.

_______________________________________________________

I can't help but find this information disheartening as it continues the trend that winning elected office in the US is simply a function of how much one is willing to pay. Unfortunately, that equation eliminates countless good candidates from ever being considered and also insures that politics will continue to be less and less about public service and more and more about ego and power. Further, it ought to leave the voting public worried about the ever shrinking list of potential candidates from which to choose. The actual difference between the two parties continues to narrow.

In light of my growing pessimism with the entrenchment of cash as king, it seemed appropriate to offer the following visual commentary on the state of politics in the United States.