BREAKING NEWS: Election 2010 Outside Political Spending Officially Eclipses Such Expenditures From 2004 Cycle

HAVE A LOOK AT SOME UNCOMFORTABLE FACTS ABOUT THE PRESUMED GREATEST DEMOCRACY ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH!

By Michael Beckel and Megan R. Wilson on October 28, 2010 1:43 PM

Special interests have today passed a major milepost in influencing U.S. political elections.

Groups have thrown more money into the 2010 midterm elections than they did during the 2004 election cycle -- when, on top of congressional contests, Republican President George W. Bush and Democrat John Kerry battled for the presidency.

During the 2004 election cycle, all outside groups spent $448 million on independent expenditures, electioneering communications and other communication costs to influence the election and aid their preferred candidates, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics. As of this morning, the Center’s research indicates, all outside groups have spent $455 million on such expenses -- a number that will continue to rise as Election Day nears.

Outside groups would have to spend another $130 million during this election cycle to match the 2008 election cycle, when such groups spent $585 million among congressional contests, as well as the presidential race.

Overall this cycle, outside groups, including the national party committees, unions, trade associations, nonprofits and “super PACs” such as American Crossroads, have so far favored Republicans. Conservative-oriented groups have spent $1.34 for every $1 liberal-affiliated groups have spent, the Center’s data show.

Some of the biggest outside spenders are the national party committees -- the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee and their ilk. Excluding these groups, independent non-party-committee organizations have also spent more this cycle than they did six years ago: $280 million this cycle versus $200 million in 2004.

And the Republican outside spending advantage is even more pronounced: Republican-aligned and conservative groups so far this election season have spent $2.12 for every $1 that Democratic-aligned and liberal groups have spent, according to the Center’s analysis.

Party committees and many of the other groups spending money this cycle are bound by contribution limits.

However, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling earlier this year, corporations, trade associations, unions and nonprofits have been able to raise unlimited contributions for political messages -- and numerous corporations and wealthy individuals have invested millions to fund advertisements this year. Funding political advertisements with such high-dollar donations was previously illegal.