Election 2008 Resources - Part I: Funding

With the primaries right around the corner, many of us are still unsure which candidate should become our Commander in Chief and represent our nation during these trying times. Hopefully, I can ease this decision by pointing you in the direction of great information which is necessary to make such an important decision. Throughout the next few months, I will be directing you to reputable resources that can be used as guides for candidate’s policy positions, funds raised, and various other useful data. This information will hopefully give you a better idea of all the candidates and help you choose your future President.

Opensecrets.org - The premier guide to money in U.S. elections.

This site run by the Center for Responsive Politics is a non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics, and its effect on elections and public policy. The link will direct you to a comprehensive page filled with information about who is leading the fundraising race and which candidates received the most from differing industries. For example, Barack Obama has received the most money from educational institutions, Hillary Clinton has seen health PACs push her to the top, and John Edwards is favored among those in the legal profession. You can also view state-by-state totals, donor demographics and see where party funding is going. All these pages can be accessed from the left-hand side navigation bar on the page.

Why is this important? I feel you can get a preliminary idea about where our tax dollars will go once a candidate takes office by reviewing who is funding their campaign. Plus who doesn’t like to see who’s winning the money race!

Anton E Helmke, C’08