In a country that prides itself on democracy, it is incredibly ironic that political influence can be gained through obscenely large donations to political candidates.

There is a feud between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senator David Vitter about the patriotism of the Koch brothers. In late February, Harry Reid began a personal campaign against the Koch brothers. He has accused them of being “about as un-American as anyone I can imagine,” according to a Feb. 26 Huffington Post article. Reid has also credited delayed U.S. aid to Ukraine to the political power of the Koch brothers.

David Vitter disagreed, and combated this statement in a Shreveport town hall meeting by stating that the brothers are “two of the most patriotic Americans in the history of the earth,” according to a Mar. 21 MSNBC article. This argument about the Koch brothers has focused media attention on their expansive political power.

As both parties are preparing for the­ 2014-midterm elections, the Koch brothers’ influence is as apparent as ever. The Democrats are attempting to compete with the Koch brothers’ efforts, with the Senate Majority PAC’s $3 million ad campaign against the two billionaires.

Americans for Prosperity, an organization backed by the Koch brothers, has spent approximately 10 times as much as the Senate Majority PAC. The sheer amount of their spending shows that the brothers are two of the most influential players in the coming election.

Charles and David Koch are the owners of Koch Industries, a massive oil conglomerate. As two of the richest people in the United States, they use enormous donations to influence elections and politicians. They have been consistently accused of promoting elitist ideals and advancing their personal interests. As supporters of decentralized government, a majority of their support has been aimed at the Republican Party.

Regardless of political affiliation, it is easy to see how problematic it is for individuals and corporations to be able to gain expansive political influence through massive donations.

This isn’t the first time the Koch brothers have used their personal wealth to gain political influence. According to a March 15 Huffington Post Article, the Koch brothers spent at least $1.7 billion on lobbying and politics in the 2012 election cycle. These donations have had enormous influence in American politics.

When considering the facts, Senator Harry Reid has a valid point about the Koch brothers’ lack of patriotism. As a fundamentally democratic nation, rigging elections through extraordinarily large donations directly undermines the influence of the electorate. It allows the Koch brothers to have political influence far beyond what ordinary Americans are entitled to.

There is a clear correlation between decision making and the donations a candidate has received. Elections are becoming increasingly expensive. According to a July 2013 CNN article, the average cost to win a House of Representatives election is $1.6 million and $10.4 million for Senate elections. As donations are becoming more important in elections, so are donors.

It is impossible that these donations do not directly affect the decision-making processes of elected officials. Without donations, most politicians would not be able to run successful campaigns.

Several solutions have been proposed to resolve this clear and growing problem. The most viable of those solutions is public funding of elections. There are several ways to orchestrate public financing of elections, but the concept remains consistent.

If elections are funded without large donors such as the Koch brothers, politicians will primarily be obligated to satisfy their constituents. Public financing legislation has been passed in Arizona, Connecticut and Maine. Until public financing of elections gains more traction across the nation, the Koch brothers, among many others, will continue to have far reaching influence over elections.

Rachel Potter is a junior political science and sociology major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at [email protected]. 

Published on March 26, 2014 at 1:00 am