How Much Does Your Vote Cost?

How Much Does Your Vote Cost?
By: Jonathan M. Lamb. Jonathan M. Lamb is an Economist, Consultant, and Entrepreneur that resides in the Research Triangle of North Carolina.

I do not follow politics, and I do not claim to know about what goes on behind the scenes of politics, nor do I want to. It is ignorant of me to believe everything I read and see about politics on TV or the movies as fact, but what really gets done to get things done?

There was over $100 million spent on the NC Senate race this year. That blows my mind. For there to be $100 million spent on this race what has to be gained to justify that much amount of money spent? We cannot put a price on our freedom, but there is a price for an elected official. Supporters, donors, and voters are the puppet masters that buy and sell officials, but what should they go after, the lowest cost provider or the highest return on their investment?

From my limited political knowledge there seems to be two types of people that enter politics. The first is the person that rises from obscurity. These are they people that are supported and groomed to rise through the ranks, they are good “yes men” that are great liars and cheaters, and makes them a good low cost provider compared to the rich guys. Rich guys in politics, that brings us to the next class of politician. Rich guys don’t come as cheap as the poor guys, but they can return a much higher amount on the investment. Look at the cream that rises to the top. How many wealthy people do we have that are in national roles in politics? From local politicians to State politicians to the House to the Senate to the Presidency there have been and are many wealthy folks that have called politics home.

There have been and are many elected officials that I am sure are of outstanding moral compass and only act with the utmost integrity. However when you start throwing around large sums of money it tends to attract people with ulterior motives. Which politicians ultimately have the best return for our voting dollar, the poor guy that wants to get rich or the rich guy that wants to get richer, or worse the guy is or wants to get drunk with power? At the end of the day there is a cost to our Freedom, and what are you really buying with your vote?