Plutocrats Bankrolling Republican Candidates

Mattea Gold has an interesting look at the financing to date of the Republican and Democratic candidates for president in today's once great Washington Post Bezos Bugle, in a dog- bites- man kind of way.  Here's a snapshot (click on image to enlarge):

We're shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!

We've already heard the big dick-swinging plutocrat Koch brothers, Foster Friesses and Sheldon Adelsons of the gilded class say they're going to pony up mega-millions to get their ultra-right puppets candidates elected in 2016.  But for every one in the spotlight, there are dozens more sugar daddies in the shadows making significant, unlimited contributions to super PACs coordinating with the Republican/ New Confederate/ Stupid Party. The big money flowing to Republican super PACs contrasts with what's going on with the Democratic candidates:

Nearly $4 out of every $5 raised so far on behalf of GOP White House contenders has gone to independent groups rather than the official campaigns.

Outside groups have already amassed more than $235 million — more than three times the $67 million raised collectively by the Republican field through June 30, according to reports filed Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission.

So far, the dynamic is different on the Democratic side, with 80 percent of the more than $80 million raised so far to support Hillary Rodham Clinton and her competitors flowing to their campaigns.

Clinton boasted the biggest campaign haul of any candidate, $47 million, driven by a largely female donor base. Contributions less than $200 made up nearly 17 percent of her total. That was in sharp contrast with Republican Jeb Bush: Just 3 percent of the $11.4 million he raised came from such low-dollar donations.

The lopsided war chests on the right underscore how the financing of political campaigns has been fundamentally rewired in the five years since federal courts loosened restrictions on political spending by corporations and rich individuals. Those decisions triggered a rush of big donations and political operatives to independent groups that can accept unlimited donations, a trend that has dramatically accelerated this year. This election cycle has already seen bolder collaboration between super PACs and campaigns than previous races, as well as a proliferation of nonprofit groups aligned with individual candidates.  (our emphasis)

But, not to worry!  As Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy told us in his Citizens United decision, "... [I]ndependent expenditures, including those made by corporations, do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption."  But he didn't say they wouldn't give rise to a right-wing plutocracy, now did he?