[nearbuy]

I know this is tangential to your main point, but in the US, you can only give a max of $3,500 to a candidate per election cycle, for each the primaries and general election.

To give more financial support, you have to do independent, uncoordinated campaigning for the candidate. So you can spend a million dollars on ads saying to vote for a candidate, but you can't give that money to the candidate's campaign and the candidate can't coordinate with you. This is what Super PACs do.

I only write this because a lot of people are unclear on the rules. I'm not making an argument about billionaires.

[blanched]

That’s the law, yes, but in practice it’s murkier: https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/08/super-pacs-raise-mi...

> In fact, not a single coordination investigation has ever resulted in a PAC being fined.

[klaff]

As one example see million dollar donations to inaugurations.

[nearbuy]

I wouldn't put that in the same category as campaign donations. That money won't help the candidate get elected. The money goes to the inaugural committee to pay for the event.

I'd put that in the broader category of doing something the president/politician likes in hopes of gaining favor.

With this administration there are even better ways to gain influence and money by doing things the president likes than donating to inauguration ceremonies. Become a known staunch Trump advocate, and you could become the Secretary of Defense, FBI Deputy Director, or head of DOGE. No experience necessary.

[klaff]

In current events: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5892633-lutnick-...

(Lutnick donated $5M to House GOP super PAC ahead of Epstein deposition)