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Politicians spend too much money on election campaigns. They fundraise, accepting money from their supporters, which sometimes creates conflicts of interest. Maybe politicians need to learn how to campaign more economically. Why should the taxpayers' money which belongs to the government be used to finance extravagant election campaigns?

A politician who cannot fundraise enough money to run his campaign will not win an election because he lacks popular support. Just consider how much money is enough. Nowadays, elections could be run cheaply if politicians think about where they need to spend. Instead of wasting money on advertising, politicians should recruit volunteers/interns who are skilled at using the Internet, making videos that can be posted on YouTube, creating websites and blogs, and utilizing social networking sites. Between YouTube, MySpace, blogs, and websites, politicians can create buzz for free. The talk shows and news shows will want to interview them if they create enough buzz, so public exposure can be free. Campaign consultants, stylists, and makeup artists can be volunteers, too. There is no precise uniform that candidates must wear while campaigning, so expensive clothes are not required. I can only conclude that the only legitimate expenses that can't be avoided are probably travel, meals & entertainment for volunteers, and any required legal fees. These expenses are just a small fraction of how much politicians spend on their campaigns. In addition, if politicians spent less on their political campaigns, then they would need fewer contributions, and laws could be made lowering the amounts of money donors could give to their favorite candidates/political parties, so candidates would be more independent of contributors.

Meanwhile, taxpayer money can be spent where it is really needed, on programs like Social Security, Medicare, and education. The government exists to make life better for all Americans, not just to provide politicians with a livelihood.

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