Listen to Episode 4 – Election Finance here.
Timeline of US election financial development:
https://www.opensecrets.org/resources/learn/timeline
Henry George, “Money in Elections,” published in the North American Review of March 1883., The North American Review Vol. 136, No. 316 – https://www.jstor.org/stable/25118246?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
What’s a “grassroots” election cost in 2018? AOC – raised $17m – $13.5m from small individuals (under $200)
PAC, SuperPAC, Dark Money: https://campaignlegal.org/update/pacs-super-pacs-dark-money-groups-whats-difference
Who funds the ultra right?https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/24/mind-bogglingly-irresponsible-meet-the-republican-donors-helping-qanon-reach-congress
What’s spent in the UK? In the 2017 general election, 75 parties and 18 campaign groups reported spending more than £41.6m between them.https://www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/election-2019-50170067
DARK MONEY [wikipedia] In the politics of the United States, dark money refers to political spending by nonprofit organizations — for example, 501(c)(4) (social welfare) 501(c)(5) (unions) and 501(c)(6) (trade association) groups — that are not required to disclose their donors.[3][4] Such organizations can receive unlimited donations from corporations, individuals and unions. In this way, their donors can spend funds to influence elections, without voters knowing where the money came from. Dark money first entered politics with Buckley v. Valeo (1976) when the United States Supreme Court laid out Eight Magic Words that define the difference between electioneering and issue advocacy.
How Money Affects Elections: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/money-and-elections-a-complicated-love-story/
Should we worry? https://truthout.org/audio/mass-protest-is-coming-and-the-cops-are-on-trumps-side/
Are employers required to give workers paid time off to vote? Do long lineups and travel time to voting locations have financial repercussions for voters? Varies from state-to-state https://www.workplacefairness.org/voting-rights-time-off-work
One blocker for people getting the first round of stimulus cheques was a lack of resources at the IRS: https://www.propublica.org/article/millions-still-havent-gotten-stimulus-checks-including-many-who-need-them-most