Open Secrets compiles the answer for us in this page, and the results are interesting. Only 0.23% of Americans donate over $200 to a political campaign but they have plenty of clout.
Those who gave more than $200 constitute 66.3% of the donations ($1,297,842,396 to date.) The under $200 donors sent $658,241,181 to candidates to date.
The percentage of individuals giving more than $2,500 to political campaigns? 0.04%.
There is nothing surprising about any of this considering this report from the 2010 election season:
“A Sunlight Foundation examination of data from the Federal Election Commission and the Center for Responsive Politics reveals a growing dependence of candidates and political parties on the One Percent of the One Percent, resulting in a political system that could be disproportionately influenced by donors in a handful of wealthy enclaves. Our examination also shows that some of the heaviest hitters in the 2010 cycle were ideological givers, suggesting that the influence of the One Percent of the One Percent on federal elections may be one of the obstacles to compromise in Washington.
The One Percent of the One Percent are not average Americans. Overwhelmingly, they are corporate executives, investors, lobbyists, and lawyers. A good number appear to be highly ideological. They give to multiple candidates and to parties and independent issue groups. They tend to cluster in a limited number of metropolitan zip codes, especially in New York, Washington, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
In the 2010 election cycle, the average One Percent of One Percenter spent $28,913, more than the median individual income of $26,364” [The Sunlight Foundation]
And we wonder why we’re closer to having auctions for public office and not competitive elections?
Desert Beacon 
Reblogged this on Otmane EL RHAZI Blog.
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