In modern campaigns money is becoming an increasingly important factor. Campaign spending is on a steady rise with no end in sight. Some candidates like Bush and Kerry actually decided to not receive initial government funds that would have matched contributions they received because of government caps. Money propels almost every aspect of modern campaigning.
The government tries to regulate campaign spending but it often follows the "hydraulic theory of money and politics." This theory simply states that money, like water, will always find a way around an obstacle. One perfect example of this is the donation of soft money. After the McCain-Feingold act stopped these soft money donations, 527 groups became increasingly popular. These groups accept limitless contributions to show "political messages" that don't specifically advocate for the election of a particular candidate but do advocate for a one side of a political issue that often directly correlates with the views of one political party. As much as the government tries to limit campaign spending, PACs and other media allow for corporations, unions, or other interest groups to easily influence politics.
This government regulation is not adequate despite being very comprehensive. In my opinion, government regulation is just too slow to keep up with all of the people finding loopholes. As it takes a congress months to pass one piece of legislation regarding campaign spending, it only takes corporations minutes to start finding loopholes. In the end, the government will never be able to keep up with determined corporations and interest groups in the fight for campaign spending.
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