# Discussion question: is The American Experiment a failure? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 24, 2023, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-question-is-the-american-experiment-a-failure/986036 "2023-06-24T13:09:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-question-is-the-american-experiment-a-failure/986036/322 "2023-08-03T03:06:05Z")
As a comparison, the two major Canadian political parties raised $8m and $4m over the last three months, with an average donation around $100. In the US, a guy like (the late) Sheldon Adelson (or any of dozens of other people or companies) easily donated more than tens of thousands of Canucks. I think keeping money out of politics to the extent possible is hugely important to democracy. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-question-is-the-american-experiment-a-failure/986036/323 "2023-08-03T04:24:24Z")
According to this article from the Hill Times, required reading for Canadian federal politics junkies, the five main parties spent $82.9-million in the 2021 election. > **[Federal parties spent $82.9-million in last federal election, Conservatives...](https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2022/05/30/federal-parties-spent-82-9-million-in-last-federal-election-conservatives-spent-28-9-million-libs-spent-27-million/230215/)** > > While Conservatives may have spent the most money during the last election, shelling out over $28.3-million in campaign expenses, the party is still leading the pack in terms of overall fundraising thanks to their consistent and committed donor base. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2023, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-question-is-the-american-experiment-a-failure/986036/324 "2023-08-16T21:27:53Z")
With a 38.3 million population that comes to about $2.17 spending per capita. For comparison, in the US 2020 election our two parties spent [$14.4 billion](https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2021/02/2020-cycle-cost-14p4-billion-doubling-16/) for a 331 million population or $42.60 per capita. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2023, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-question-is-the-american-experiment-a-failure/986036/325 "2023-08-16T23:05:06Z")
Twenty times as much, per capita?!? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-question-is-the-american-experiment-a-failure/986036/326 "2023-08-17T00:48:44Z")
A bit more. Twenty three times? > **[This is Canada's most expensive election | CBC News](https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-election-expensive-cost-1.6164267)** > > The federal election is estimated to cost taxpayers $610 million. So what are we paying for? ---
**Author:** ![keeganst94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@keeganst94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keeganst94)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-question-is-the-american-experiment-a-failure/986036/327 "2023-08-17T01:31:21Z")
And presumably the canadian figure is in CAD and the American one in USD, which would probably increase the multiplier even more. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-question-is-the-american-experiment-a-failure/986036/328 "2023-08-17T01:48:01Z")
This is true, so make it thirty. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2023, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-question-is-the-american-experiment-a-failure/986036/329 "2023-08-18T14:20:10Z")
WaPo weighs in. And gives some reasons. Long, analytical article. > **[American democracy is cracking. These forces help explain why.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/18/american-democracy-political-system-failures/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNjkyMzMxMjAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNjkzNzEzNTk5LCJpYXQiOjE2OTIzMzEyMDAsImp0aSI6ImExMDQ1NWQ5LTBiMTQtNDIxZi1hOWM0LWMyMTExYjIxMTYyOCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9wb2xpdGljcy8yMDIzLzA4LzE4L2FtZXJpY2FuLWRlbW9jcmFjeS1wb2xpdGljYWwtc3lzdGVtLWZhaWx1cmVzLyJ9.u8v2n2bwoy9esRLXmrUfZ8CkWcCchNK98-AbK8R3TRs&itid=gfta)** > > Many Americans believe the political system is broken. A Post analysis examined the forces fueling the sense that government fails to represent the people. > … > The failure has multiple origins, including a collapse of trust in institutions. But one of the most significant is a collision between forces both old and new. > > The old dates to the writing of the Constitution — debates and compromises that resulted in representation in the House based on population and in the Senate based on equal standing for the states; the odd system by which we elect presidents; and lifetime appointments for Supreme Court justices. In general, the founders often distrusted the masses and sought to create structural protections against them. > > The newer element, which has gathered strength in recent decades, is the deepening polarization of the political system. Various factors have caused this: shifts within the two parties that have enlarged the ideological gap between them; geographic sorting that has widened the differences between red and blue states; a growing urban-rural divide; and greater hostility among individuals toward political opponents. > … > This is the first in a series of reports examining what is fueling the visceral feeling many Americans have that their government does not represent them. > … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-question-is-the-american-experiment-a-failure/986036.md?page=16)