WAYT: Show! Me! The! Money!

Seriously, Mitt Romney?  You need $160 million to run a campaign?  How long will that money really last you?  Probably a few days.  You got that cash in your campaign account and your people have already blown it on negative advertising, haven’t they? 

Mitt, do you know what you could do for the population-at-large with $160 million?  Do you know how many people you could help with $160 million?  Same to you, Barack!  Mr. President, we are friends and will remain friends, but I’m telling you and your opponent, you could make a lot more headlines and generate a lot more goodwill by using that money elsewhere. 

Everyone wants to talk about our floundering economy and our inability to create new jobs to get the economy back on track.  $160 million in Mitt’s campaign war chest indicates to me that someone, somewhere is making money and needs something better to do with that money.  So here’s my suggestion. 

Take that $160 million and break it up into increments of $10,000.  Put out an APB for submissions for $10,000 projects and you get to pick 16,000.  My proposal would entail paying off student loans, or not taking a loan out to pay for my husband’s next year of college.  Can you imagine the amazing requests that would pour in?  I’m sure there are a lot of people who want to pay bills just like me, but I bet there are millions of other people who want something simple, like gas money to get to that one job they can hold down if they can just afford to drive there, or buying backpacks loaded with school supplies and bus tickets for inner-city youth who need that motivation to stay in school… truly, the possibilities are endless.  (And Barack, why haven’t you thought of this?  You’re a former community organizer.)

So many people say that they hate politics, and fundraising is one thing that people often overlook.  Am I the only person offended by the fact that Mitt Romney has $160 million to spend on TV commercials that are going to drive me bonkers and/or infuriate me?  I can think of lots of other things I’d appreciate hearing about during the evening news tonight.  Besides, isn’t there already enough to dislike in the world?

What a different place the world would be, if people gave money like that for real causes… Don’t get me wrong, electing the best man to the most important job in the world is a real cause.  But does it take THIS much money?  And is this what we want The Leader of the Free World to do with that kind of money?  There are millions of charities that struggle to do a little.  We wouldn’t need charities if we could do a lot more in big, $160 million doses. 

I’m sure my idea is an illegal misallocation of funds but I have serious doubts about the entire concept of political fundraising.  What do you think?  Personally, I know that Mr. Romney and Mr. Obama already have our attention.  As a collective, We The People know who they are and what they’re about.  Do you need ads from Obama that slam Romney’s work experience?  Oh, the evils of venture capitalism!  Do you need ads from Romney that decry Obama’s desire for healthcare for all?  This isn’t news anymore. 

Give me something to believe in!  Show me that you truly do connect with Us by doing something real that validates our struggles, something that shows your compassionate side, other than a shout out in a stump speech in Iowa.  You’re more likely to win my heart, and not just my vote.