Marcy Kaptur: “for 60 years, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has operated the doomsday clock which measures the threat to…”

“for 60 years, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has operated the doomsday clock which measures the threat to civilization and counts the minutes under midnight. When it was first introduced in 1947, the doomsday clock measured only the nuclear threat. But now it takes climate change into account as well. But perhaps we need a different doomsday clock, a clock that will warn us about a different type of arms race that also threatens the future of our Republic. This arms race is not nuclear weaponry but instead uncontrolled escalation in campaign spending. Unbridled campaign spending represents the clearest, most present danger to our democratic ideals as a Republic. Here is the latest evidence. Just this week, the Center For Responsive Politics released the latest information about campaign spending in the 2008 presidential race. After 9 months of fundraising, says the Center, 'This Presidential money chase seems to be on track to collect an unprecedented $1 billion total. By some predictions, the eventual nominees will need to raise $500 million apiece to compete.'”