Money, it's a hit

It's gotten to the point where the money spend (some might argue squandered) on political campaigns could probably provide free health care for hundreds of thousands of children in America. That alone is a pretty sick symptom of our societal health.

But for those who still manage to read of the millions as if it's some abstract concept, not real money, and get more excited about the fund-raising race as it relates to points scored in a ballgame, then the fundraising totals for the leading candidates are something to look at without dismay.

Hilary Clinton lead the pack, having raised $26 million bucks from New Year's Day until the end of March. Together with the $10 million she transfered from her senate campaign treasury, she's sitting on top of a cool $36 million dollars.

John Edwards, who's funding no doubt got a boost from the grace with which his wife and he addressed her latest bad news, reported raising $14 million.

No figures from Obama as yet, though they will be awaited with interest.

On the Republican side, the numbers are similarly huge, and unprecidented. (Must be a LOT of people so rich they can throw money at candidates this early.)

Mitt Romney reported raising $23 million in the first quarter, which is stunning to me. (well, there are a lot of wealthy Mormons) and Tutti-Frutti, ahhh Rudy Giuliani reports raising a cool $15 million, $10 million of which aides said was raised during March alone.

Is this steady climb towards obscene amounts of campaign cash in order to even have a shot reached such extremes that some alternative scheme to finance campaigns might have a shot?

Or will the campaign industry continue to expand, becoming an even larger cash cow for TV stations, and the seeming millions of campaign "consultants" and campaign firms of every stripe which seem to multiply like algae, pocketing fat checks for telling politicians how to best dupe us all, be convincingly fake, and on the flip side, how to best demonize opponents?

Where will it end? Each vote costing $500? Why not just pay the voters?

What are your thoughts on the insane amount of campaign cash being spent?