Let's talk about that recall election that took place in Wisconsin. Let's talk about how lopsided the TV ad buys were.
Pro-Republican spending on broadcast TV totaled $13.1 since November, as opposed to the $6.9 million spent by Gov. Scott Walker's opponents.
And that was just broadcast TV. Per WisPolitics, spending on behalf of Walker totaled $80 million. None of this includes cable TV buys or ads run by the MacIver Institute and Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin, which didn't specifically mention the recall or Walker by name, but did refer to his budget.
We need to get money out of politics and back into providing what this country needs. Think of what $80 million could do for people in need, who are ill or hungry or homeless. Think of the bridges and roads that need repair. That we're wasting millions and millions this election year on nothing but selling candidates is insane.
And even more appalling... so many ads are misleading or downright dishonest, so obscene amounts of money are being poured into spreading lies rather than informing voters about who our future public officials really are and what they stand for.
"Wrong" is not a strong enough word to describe this corrupt system.
Here’s the breakdown from November, when the recall started, through the election:
Pro-Republican
*Scott Walker 24,087 ads, $7,454,250
*Right Direction Wisconsin PAC 8,637, $3,113,360
*Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce 4,947 $2,161,280
*Ending Spending Fund 193, $162,140
*Coalition for American Values 413, $160,310
*State Tea Party Express 78, $94,820
Total: 38,355 ads costing $13,146,160Pro-Dem
*Tom Barrett 9,416, $2,467,120
*Wisconsin For Falk 5,187, $2,147,090
*Greater Wisconsin Political Fund 6,075, $1,845,280
*Democratic Governors Association 615, $111,520
*Kathleen Falk 1,102, $266,060
*Doug La Follette 129, $21,380
*PCCC Recall Fund 63, $24,140
*Arthur Kohl-Riggs 1, $110
Total: 22,588 ads costing $6,882,700
The post WI Gov. Walker and Republicans had nearly 2-to-1 advantage on broadcast TV appeared first on The Political Carnival.