My American friends. You have a presidential election this Tuesday. No matter who you vote for, they won’t be putting your interests first.

That’s because the USA has few, if any, restrictions on how much money you can donate to a political candidate. Yes, they will take your $10 donation, but if you have $100 million to give, they’ll accept that too. When they do that, whose voice do you think they are listening to? Who has the most influence over policy?

In Canada the largest political contribution an individual can make is $1,725. That’s $1,235 US. Only individuals can make donations, no corporate gifts allowed.

Our last federal election, three years ago, cost, in total, $560.6 million, or a little more than $400 million US dollars. In comparison, Elon Musk has donated $132 million US to Republican campaigns this year. And he’s not even the top donor. The three names above him on the Republican list contributed, between them, enough to fund an entire Canadian election.

I get that rich people have more spare cash than I do, and I have no problems with them supporting their favorite candidates, just like any other citizen. But what do they expect in return?

Is there legislation they would like to see passed? Do you seriously think office holder who have received millions from someone won’t take their views into consideration? As for the average American, they get what they paid for. And since they didn’t pay, they get what the rich think they should.

It isn’t just individuals or course. US law allows companies and organizations to also make huge donations. Once again, do you think victorious candidates won’t feel a sense of obligation? The wouldn’t be human if they didn’t.

I’m sure Kamal Harris, a former prosecutor, thinks she cannot be bought. Donald Trump likely boasts the same thing, to drive his price up. Americans looking at the money involved are probably a little skeptical.

A lot of people think the American political system is broken. It still functions, but how democratic it is has become increasingly questionable. There doesn’t seem to be the will to fix it – too many people are profiting from the status quo.

Funding limits would solve a lot of their problems – but I don’t expect to see that to happen. The people with the money won’t allow it.