I found this article very interesting. Here is the actual article below from the National Journal by Lindsey Boerma, with my own commentary at the end.
"What recession?
The lousy economy may be hurting most Americans but the politicians and consultants hoping to win your votes are enjoying a boom economy.
Candidates for Congress have spent more than $3.6 billion on this election so far, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, and they're still burning through the cash. (American Crossroads makes final $6M ad blitz) (DCCC purchases $21.6 million worth of air time)
Since all of them insist they're for helping average American families, the National Journal staff was curious to know how else they might have spent all that money on our behalf. How would Americans feel if, instead of attack ads, slick mailers and robocalls, our politicians lavished us with:
1. Tuition for 62,548 students at America's most expensive university
Forbes recently listed Sarah Lawrence College as the nation's priciest school, with a tuition rate of $57,556, including room and board. That's a lot of higher education.
2. 3,973,510 monthly mortgage payments
The average monthly mortgage payment, according to analysts at Freddie Mac, is $906 in principal and interest. $3.6 billion would buy one month's reprieve from the repo man for almost 4 million Americans.
3. 48 million bleacher tickets for a World Series game
Hey, the San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers kick off the annual baseball classic tonight. Cheap seats cost $75. Wouldn't we all like to be there?
4. Annual salaries for 83,116 high school teachers
Payscale.com pegs the median high school teacher salary at $43,313. Don't we need more math and science experts in the classroom?
5. 1,323,529,412 school lunches
The U.S. Department of Agriculture pays $2.72 for every free lunch provided through the National School Lunch Program. For $3.6 billion, a lot more kids could eat — or the ones who already get free lunches might be able to eat better.
6. 360 million bags of Halloween candy
Forget the health food; it's Halloween. Why not buy a two-pound bag of Wonka Assorted Candy for $9.99 for every man, woman, and child in the USA — plus about 50,000 extras?
7. 12,286,689 unemployment checks
Unemployment benefits vary widely by state but the national average is about $293 a week. Aren't all those politicians saying they want to help the jobless?
8. 1,440 Super Bowl commercials
Does anyone think we don't have enough already? The most coveted advertising event of the year averages $2.5 million per commercial, meaning this year's campaign spending numbers could pay for 1,440 spots.
9. Annual salaries for 75,263 police officers
The average law enforcement officer's salary is $47,832 says Payscale.com; what candidate doesn't want to put more cops on the beat?
10. A 248-season contract for LeBron James
Yeah, he gets paid $14.5 million a year, but we could afford him. Eat your hearts out, Miami Heat.
11. 7.2 million iPads
The lowest-end iPad offering 16 GB and Wi-Fi runs at Apple.com for $499, which means that $3.6 million would afford the product to 7,200,000 people.
12. Priuses for 526 Oprah audiences
At $22,800 apiece, "You get a car! You get a car! Everybody gets a car!""
End of Article (incase you didn't notice the quotations)
Wow, this just blows me away. I seriously would have chosen ANY of these options over having to deal with stupid mailers, and advertisements that don't actually inform voters of the important facts about each candidate or propositions. What if a candidate actually chose to forgo advertising and campaigning in the "usual" sense and spent their money helping their already/soon to be constituents? Would they be elected? Would people notice?
Don't vote based off of what you have seen and heard in the media, do research, be informed and VOTE TODAY!
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