Buying Elections

The wife of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon is running for the Senate out of Connecticut. Linda McMahon is running well ahead of her Republican challenger and should be the GOP nominee. All at a cost of a mere $22 million dollars.

Some say she is buying the election. But at least she's using her own money, if that be the case. Further, that complaint seems trivial compared to the purchase price of the American Presidency, bought by Barack Obama without the aid of public funds. It seems that the whole idea of public funding of elections is becoming passe.

What we are facing is a real free speech issue, one that leaves a bad taste in many mouths. Don't the rich have free speech too? Why can't they express themselves with whatever tools are at their disposal?

Because money brings power. Barack and the Democrats learned that in 2008.

But, you know, if we had a government like the Framers intended, if the Federals weren't allowed to do so much which they should not, what real power would there be in Washington to lust after? If there weren't so many spoils to divide among so many allies, and so many causes so deserving of cash from the public trough, maybe all this talk about buying elections wouldn't be so prevalent. Or meaningful.

In the end, we get what we pay for. But at least when it's private money at work, our tax burden is lessened.