There’s an election coming. There’s always an election coming – and that means political parties need money. Feel like making a donation?

In Canada we have strict limits. I can contribute $1,625 ($1,227 US) to the political party of my choice this year. That’s the maximum, though admittedly I can give that amount to each party if I so desire.

It doesn’t work that way in the US, where Michael Bloomberg has just donated $100 billion to Joe Biden’s presidential campaign for use in one state: Florida. That’s almost a thousand times what I can give to a Canadian campaign. Apparently the only limits are the depths of your pockets.

Do you see the problem? Do you think Bloomberg may be buying influence with his donation?

My donation to a Canadian campaign wouldn’t be that consequential. And it would be no bigger than that given by thousands of other voters (corporate donations are illegal). So I wouldn’t expect any special treatment if the party/candidate I supported were to win the election.

It would be tough for any candidate to ignore a $100 million donor though. Especially if, as some believe, that one donation will decide the outcome of the election.

Can someone from the US please explain to me how this makes your country a democracy? It looks to me like the oligarchs are going to determine who rules.

You can make a strong case that America has lost much of its prestige on the world stage. Part of that may be due to the erratic performance of its president.

I wonder though if just as much is due to a nation that preaches democracy having a system that apparently makes a mockery of the word.