The power of a democracy lies in its people, yet our current election system is increasingly dominated by the wealthy elite and special interest groups. This reality undermines the principle of government by the people, for the people, and threatens to erode public trust in our democratic institutions. But the numbers tell us something even more profound: we have the collective power to take our democracy back.
Consider these startling facts:
- Out of the 539 members of Congress, only 16 lawmakers received more than 50% of their donations from small donors—what we call "people power." These 16 raised $86 million from small donors, accounting for nearly 60% of their total contributions. Check out our note to see who they are.
- While many Americans lament the role of big money in politics, only 1% of the U.S. population donates to candidates, parties, or PACs. This leaves the funding of elections to a small, wealthy minority.
- In the 2024 presidential election, the top 100 wealthiest individuals donated $438 million to Democratic candidates and a staggering $1.4 trillion to Republican candidates. Similarly, the top 50 largest organizations contributed $629 million to Democrats and $1.3 trillion to Republicans.
These figures¹ illustrate how concentrated wealth wields disproportionate influence over elections, policies, and priorities, often sidelining the needs and voices of everyday Americans.
https://www.opensecrets.org/
With thanks to our friend, ORPeaceDude
