Democratic nominee Jerry Brown has reported he has shelled out $774,000 of his own funds on his campaign for California governor, while Republican nominee Meg Whitman has spent over $100 million of her own money.
There are a few things about this that make me want to slap my hand to my forehead. Shall we begin?
1. In case you are unaware, $100 million is a shit-ton of money in general, let alone for a gubernatorial campaign. It is, in fact, such a massive quantity of money that only in presidential elections is such an amount spent.
2. Whitman’s personal spending exceeds a majority of Californians can even comprehend. How does Whitman expect any resident in our hot mess of a state to understand $100 million being spent solely toward securing an election and not for legitimate affairs concerning California?
Arguably, it is Whitman’s money and she may spend it how she so pleases, but do we really want to elect someone who is so self-centered in her attempt to earn a position of power?
Furthermore, do we honestly want to elect someone who spends an ungodly amount of money and is still losing, according to the polls? Where is the fiscal responsibility in that?
People say money talks, but I must say that Whitman makes me want to walk — or run — far, far away from California.
3. Thinking about all the situations and messy financial issues in this state that could be fixed with that kind of money is sickening. Yet, it is being spent on one person’s goal to be governor.
And to think, people always give the Democrats crap for spending too much money.
This money could have gone toward education, health care and unemployment —did I say education?
According to an article published by the Huffington Post, $100 million dollars could have paid for 18,018 maximum funding Pell Grants, put 11,447 students through K-12 school, or 10,770 students through one year at a University of California campus.
If that does not pull at your moral heartstrings, here are some more figures, because let’s face it, numbers don’t lie.
Whitman’s campaign funds could have paid health insurance premiums for 7,477 families.
Look, it is an election. We all know that. Politicians are dirty, corrupt and pretty much always on the brink of immorality. However, what depth of immorality is acceptable to drop to in order to ensure that your campaign wins?
Perhaps I am totally off my rocker here to accuse a woman of doing what she wants with her own money, but doesn’t the whole thing seem a bit off?
I’m just saying that if a woman is willing to spend $100 million and counting on herself, she probably is not too interested in spending money on things that would benefit the programs and people of the state she may be representing.
Jessica Wood is a senior biology major and a columnist for the Summer 49er.
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