Is U.S. Democracy Being Bought And Sold?

Has money corrupted US politics beyond repair? The landmark Supreme Court case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruled that individuals working through corporations, unions, or independent political action committees, known as SuperPACs, could make unlimited campaign contributions. Now, candidates can depend on a handful of the wealthy in America to fund their campaigns even when they lack strong grassroots support. On February 1, Super PACs were required to disclose the identities and dollar amounts of those who contributed to them through the end of 2011. Restore Our Future, the Super PAC that supports Mitt Romney, has raised by far the greatest amount at $30.2 million. Winning Our Future, the Super PAC that supports Newt Gingrich, has raised $2.1 million through 2011. After the reporting period ended, however, the Super PAC received an additional $10 million from multi-billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson.