“I am Barack Obama and I approve this message.”
“I am John McCain and I approve this message.”
I’ve heard these lines so many times, I now hear them in my sleep. With just over one week until Election Day, the presidential candidates are pulling out all the stops to make certain their messages are heard from coast to coast. Over the past year, the two candidates have become the most publicized figures in America, but publicity does not come cheap. According to CNN.com, the two campaigns have raised a combined $684 million, half of which has been spent on ads. This figure, however, does not include the $70 million spent by outside interest groups and third parties, bringing the total to $754 million being spent to ensure your vote.
In the interest of humility, it must be noted that not all of the $754 million is spent to ensure any one vote. According to U.S. Census data, there are 305.5 million Americans. This would mean the candidates spent approximately $2.47 on each American this election. As not all Americans can or are registered to vote, the candidates actually spent approximately $5.31 on each of the 142.1 million registered U.S. voters. Cast in this light, it doesn’t seem like a lot of money. My vote is worth $5.31 to the two candidates combined? Why not let them spend it then? What could I really do with another $5? It won’t buy me lunch at most places, or even a couple gallons of gas.
Seen on the microcosm level, it’s not much. When viewed in the broader scheme of things though, $754 million is no small figure. In fact, quite a lot can be done with this sum. Millions of children are starving worldwide. With $754 million, World Vision could feed 2.1 million hungry children across the world for a year. Teachers in the U.S. spend, on average, $659 of their own salaries each year on supplies for their classrooms. With $754 million, 1.1 million teachers could be relieved of this financial burden. The average U.S. Habitat for Humanity home costs $60,000 to build. With $754 million, over 12,500 American families could finally afford their own home. These are just a few specific examples of the significant impact $754 million can make to those in need. Think of the number of college scholarships, medical treatments and meals this sum could provide.
Instead, $754 million is being spent on television ads, T-shirts, bumper stickers, buttons and yard signs. No judgment can be cast on whether one way of spending is better than the other. A fundamental part of a capitalist society is the right to spend money the way the owner so chooses. Yet, seeing the $754 million for what it would be worth to those who have so little certainly makes me value my $5.31 vote all the more highly.
Neily Todd is a senior in the College of Arts and Science. She can be reached at neily.p.todd@vanderbilt.edu.
