Politics, Public Policy, and Activism

Politics will always offer openings for those seeking elected office. It is still possible to enter politics at the local level on a shoestring budget, but funds for advertising and for staging campaign events can be an advantage. Running for higher office requires raising massive amounts of funds. In the 2019/2020 election cycle, candidates for the House of Representatives had raised a total of about $901.6 million; candidates for the Senate had raised nearly $527.3 million. Some candidates for higher office are independently wealthy or attract a wide range of donors, but the reality is that most campaign contributions come from individuals or organizations that want something from government. As a result, it seems likely that increasing campaign expenditures and the increasing anonymity of campaign donors (through super PACs) will lead to increased political corruption.