Big Spenders

Which presidential candidate outspent their rival in 2016?

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WASHINGTON POST

1. How accurate was your prediction?

2. What most surprised you about this information?

3. Why do you think Clinton was able to out raise Trump?

4. Did all that money translate into success in the 2016 election?

5. What do you think is the number one expenditure for both candidates?

6. Overall, what story does this tell about money in politics?

7. Why is that?

8. What is the main consequence of all this money in politics?

9. Is this happy or unhappy news?

10. Did you or anyone you know donate money to a politician this year?

11. What percent of all Americans donate to politicians?*

12. What would be one way to limit the amount of money in elections?

13. How much money do you think third party candidates like Gary Johnson and Jill Stein raised in 2016?

14. How different do you think these numbers would be in other countries like Canada, Japan, or the U.K.?

15. Does this make you think the U.S. has free and fair elections?

16. Overall, explain how much impact you believe money has on politics:

17. Explain whether this information makes you feel more or less inclined to personally donate money to a political campaign:

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Bonus Chart

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DAILY KOS

*Forget the top one percent, the top 0.01 percent of Americans gave nearly 42 percent of all political donation dollars in the 2012 election cycle. Just over 30,000 individuals contributed nearly half of all money. It is no coincidence that this proportion has increased steadily as economic inequality has increased.

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Learning Extension

Check out all these cool 2016 election graphics from The Washington Post:

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Action Extension

The election may be over but it's never too late to donate to President-elect Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. Or, if you think these numbers are outrageous you could donate to a money in politics watchdog group like Open Secrets.