Why do we tolerate this?

If we didn't tolerate this, no one would contribute to the campaigns. Duh.

Well, if you want something to really get upset about, get upset about the $700 billion + given to Wall Street because the geniuses can't handle their **** correctly. No matter how hard it is or what excuses can made, there isn't any. If they can't do the job, they shouldn't have spent their entire lives working up to that point. And we tolerate the billion on the election because a billion dollars is nothing. It's absolutely nothing now-a-days.

This is huge waste of money and a travesty when you realize what could be done with it if it were used correctly in this country (and I don't mean handed to someone like ACORN)

It makes me sick to know how many millions they spend on beating us to death with ads!

I agree there should be several debates. People that can't even pay their bills are giving money to all candidates. I heard this morning that just the celebration party that Obama is already planning is well over 2 million.

And we also spend $10 billion every single month to fight the war in Iraq.

To me, that's far more intolerable than spending money on an election. That money goes down a hole--or into the pockets of enterprising Iraqis.

John McCain tried that with his campaign finance reform but Obama, after agreeing to abide by it, changed his mind.

However, there is a First Amendment issue underlying it all, in that it is unconstitutional to prohibit someone from using their own money to voice their political opinion.

A billion dollars doesn't even mean anything anymore. Our debt is in the trillions and we just gave banks and wall street 700 billion. One billion is like petty cash for the government now.

Firstly- all of that money goes right back into the economy.

Secondly- the total bill comes to about $3 per american.

That doesn't seem unreasonable to find out all we can about how the candidates operate.

I know exactly what you mean, that is why I don't spend a penny on contributing both compagins