Democracy

The 2012 elections were by far the most expensive in history thanks primarily to the tidal wave of outside, special interest money triggered by the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision.The federal House races in Oregon, where outside groups spent over $1.1 million, were no exception. 

The first presidential election since Citizens United lived up to its hype, with unprecedented outside spending from new sources making headlines. Demos and OSPIRG Foundation analysis of reports from campaigns, parties, and outside spenders to the Federal Election Commission found that our big money system distorts democracy and creates clear winners and losers: favoring wealthy donors over average citizens and powerful special interests over the public interst.  

A new analysis of data through Election Day from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and other sources by OSPIRG and Demos shows how big outside spenders drowned out small contributions in 2012: just 61 large donors to Super PACs giving on average $4.7 million each matched the $285.1 million in grassroots contributions from more than 1,425,500 small donors to the major party presidential candidates.