The Best Election Money Can Buy

This is going to be the first national election since the Supreme Court decided the Citizens United case that allows unlimited corporate money in politics. Anyone who thinks that's a good idea is crazy.  A law called the DISCLOSE Act that would help reveal donor identities was defeated yesterday in the Senate. John Avlon says the bill never had a chance:

Look, bringing up a bill that attempts to clear up this potentially half-billion-dollar loophole never had much chance of passing just four months before a presidential election. But it is still disappointing to see it go down in a 51-44 vote. Because back in 2000, a similar proposal to increase transparency in election donations enjoyed bipartisan support—and in the last congress, the DISCLOSE Act passed the House and received 59 votes in the Senate. This version of the bill would have impacted unions as well as trade associations and 501(c)(4)s in the future. It was a balanced bill that could have compelled more disclosure on both sides.

It was your friends, the GOP, who voted it down. No surprise there.  And so unlimited funds continue to pour into political campaigns without a trace of where they come from. What a great way to launder drug money. Who knows, maybe our next president will be chosen by Exxon or Pfizer or even China?