What impact does money have on today’s national election process?

What will be an ideal response?

Students should discuss the rising cost of conducting a national presidential campaign, which is approximately $1 billion for a serious national candidate. The sources of that money come from a variety of sources from individual contributions to super PACs. While federal election laws limit donations from individuals and political action committees, the Citizens United decision in 2010 has meant that so-called super PACs, which cannot be directly affiliated or coordinated with the candidate or anyone from his/her campaign, are free to collect and spend money in any way they choose, which often means directly or indirectly benefiting a particular candidate. Because of this and other similar decisions, money has had an ever-increasing impact on the political scene, with media advertising being the most expensive portion of campaign spending.