Let me say it again: one billion dollars.

That’s just the presidential race. Add this to what will be spent on all races across the country, and you’re talking serious money here.

This is why nothing is being done in congress. This is why politicians are reduced to sound bites and wishywashy positioning on the issues. This is why our “government” is little better than a kleptocracy for corporations and the very wealthy. And the worst part: this is a monster who only hungers more in the next cycle, that feeds on everything, and grows and grows, contributing to the conditions which we all revile and making each campaign more money centered than the last.

If the netroots is smart, after the elections, this will become a major issue for us. It already is, but there is great temptation on the part of the major players out here to focus on money raising, without being at the same time critical of the process. I know this is something that can’t be changed overnight, but it is going to have to change. Because in such an environment, eventually, the only people who can play are the extremely wealthy and the consultants and TV execs that enjoy greater and greater power, as they receive more and more money for less and less effective ads.

Honestly, politicians and consultants must be stupider than I thought. Because I can’t believe I’m the only person who can see the gaping maw of Ungoliant here. Pols already spend a majority of their time raising money, something only the twisted can possibly enjoy. That they will spend even more time in the future doing this, and for less concrete rewards, should be motivating. It was for McCain, once, but he’s got the brass ring in his sights and seems to have lost his mojo. If I were a young, aspiring politician, I’d find my counterpart on the other side and make campaign finance reform a mantra, no, a religion. It’s an issue that “everyone” can get behind. Excepting the consultant and advertising agencies that make money from it, that is.

Murdoch must be laughing somewhere. He’s got politician, operatives, corporations and the wealthy falling all over themselves to give him their money. Every two years or more, no less, for something they can’t really say is for their benefit, so much as it’s a cost of doing business. Wake up and smell the scam, people. It would be a shame if in ten years I reposted this with the altered title: “One Trillion Dollars.” At this rate, that’s not necessarily unlikely.