Already, there is ample proof that big money has stuck its big boot into the Republican primary. Recent filings from the so-called super PACs showed that a handful of very wealthy corporations, special-interest groups, and individuals are making increasingly large contributions to spread their influence around.
Their clout is so overwhelming it has turned the Republican presidential primary into a tennis match, with spectators already complaining of neck strain as they watch the favorite change each time a volley of money crosses into a different primary or caucus state.
In Florida, Mitt Romney and the super PAC supporting him ran 12,768 television ads compared with the 210 ads that Newt Gingrich and his super friends ran, according to the Wesleyan Media Project. Guess who won?
Previously, in Iowa, the pro-Romney group cut down the once-surging Gingrich, handing a slim win to Rick Santorum. In South Carolina, Gingrich-supporting groups heard his very public call for revenge and helped him win.
The special interests have chosen a variety of ways to quietly slip money into campaigns. The super PACs can collect unlimited funds from corporate and union treasuries as well as individuals. They must disclose donors monthly or quarterly, but that is hardly often enough for primary voters to figure out who's behind the TV ads and slick brochures supporting or attacking a candidate.
Even worse, super PACs can accept donations from shadow groups known as 501s, named for a section of the tax code. Since donors to 501s don't have to be revealed, voters are blind to their identities. But you can bet the candidates know who they are - and what they want.
Congress must shed light on these powerful donors, so voters have a fighting chance to make clear choices in November.
