Political mercenaries

the long version

"In 1992, when Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush, political fundraising was considered an afterthought. Their campaigns spent $192 million--combined! In contrast, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney spent over $7 billion to beat one another in 2012--36 times more than that spent just 20 years before. How is it that politics has become so focused on the almighty dollar and the cost of political campaigns so expensive? Lindsay Mark Lewis is arguably the person best able to answer those questions--the notorious political fundraiser renowned for his willingness to do almost anything to get the next political dollar in the war chest. He was part of the new political mob responsible for the excessive influence of money on campaigns. Co-authored with writer and political analyst Jim Arkedis, Political Mercenaries is a fascinating look into how American politics, to contradict former Speaker Tip O'Neill, is now all national money. This book emerges at a time when millions of Americans are more skeptical than ever about politicians on both sides of the aisle and how they obtain the money that funds their campaigns"--