--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The money that is spent in elections is…" description: "\"The money that is spent in elections is absolutely unconscionable - even if it's private money. It's true that one's not corrupted by the expenditure o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/millicent-fenwick-20534_election_the-money-that-is-spent-in-elections-is_3047248.png" --- # The money that is spent in elections is absolutely… ![“The money that is spent in elections is absolutely unconscionable - even if it's private money. It's true that one's not corrupted by the expenditure of one's own money, but to some extent the system is. We cannot have a system in which the only people you can count on for a vote that doesn't look…” quote by Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/millicent-fenwick-20534_election_the-money-that-is-spent-in-elections-is_3047248.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/millicent-fenwick-20534_election_the-money-that-is-spent-in-elections-is_3047248.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/millicent-fenwick-20534_election_the-money-that-is-spent-in-elections-is_3047248.png) > “The money that is spent in elections is absolutely unconscionable - even if it's private money. It's true that one's not corrupted by the expenditure of one's own money, but to some extent the system is. We cannot have a system in which the only people you can count on for a vote that doesn't look as though it might be a vote for a special-interest group are people with enormous fortunes.” [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Campaign spending, especially by the wealthy, threatens democratic fairness and can corrupt the system. **In simple terms:** Money in politics can skew representation. Key Takeaway Advocate for campaign finance reform. Themes democracy money in politics corruption equality public policy Mood concerned critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - elections - policy debates - grassroots activism - donor transparency Key Concepts campaign finance law political ethics social justice Questions to Reflect On - How can ordinary citizens reduce money’s influence? - What alternative funding models exist? A Different Perspective Reforms may be hard to enact; entrenched interests resist change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corrupted Expenditure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupted-expenditure-5051593/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Enormous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enormous/) [Expenditure Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expenditure-money-4600847/) [Expenditures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expenditures/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Interest groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest-groups/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money Spent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-spent/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Private Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-money-5051594/) [Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special/) [Special interest groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-interest-groups/) [Special interests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-interests/) [Spent Elections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spent-elections-5051596/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) ## Related quotes > [I want to remind you all that in order to fight and win the war, it requires an expenditure of money that is commiserate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-want-to-remind-you-all-that-in-order-to-fight-and-win-the-war-it/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Dependence on private money to run campaigns causes pain to Republicans and Democrats alike - and business owners. It's time we did something about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/dependence-on-private-money-to-run-campaigns-causes-pain-to/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [Well private money can take risks in a way that government money often isn't willing to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/well-private-money-can-take-risks-in-a-way-that-government-money/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The government has departments to deal with the special interest groups that make themselves heard and felt. A Department of Agriculture cares for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-government-has-departments-to-deal-with-the-special-interest/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The United Nations has come under the control of outlaw nations and self-serving special interest groups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginny-brown-waite/the-united-nations-has-come-under-the-control-of-outlaw-nations-and/) [Ginny Brown-Waite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginny-brown-waite/) > [Bowing to well-meaning, special-interest groups is an immoral way to run a company, given all the people it would hurt. We simply cannot allow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-rodgers/bowing-to-well-meaning-special-interest-groups-is-an-immoral-way-to/) [T. J. Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-rodgers/) > [I was in bands as a singer-guitarist-songwriter until 1980-81. So, there's a bunch of stuff. A lot of the stuff is hard to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-torn/i-was-in-bands-as-a-singer-guitarist-songwriter-until-1980-81-so/) [David Torn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-torn/) > [All Politicians should be required to wear uniforms like Racing Car Drivers with patches showing the donations received from special interest groups so we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wallace/all-politicians-should-be-required-to-wear-uniforms-like-racing-car/) [John Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wallace/) > [When are we left-wingers going to learn that we are losing the cultural and political battle with conservatives because we are fractured into narcissistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/when-are-we-left-wingers-going-to-learn-that-we-are-losing-the/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [If you look at all the lobbyists in Washington, this is not a democracy. This is ruled by special interest groups. That includes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-look-at-all-the-lobbyists-in-washington-this-is-not-a/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I've owned a business for 26 years. My family isn't in politics and my supporters aren't special interest groups in Madison and Milwaukee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-neumann/i-ve-owned-a-business-for-26-years-my-family-isn-t-in-politics-and-my/) [Mark Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-neumann/) > [Campaign finance and ethics reform only works if it curtails all special interest groups equally and does not carve out any exceptions to benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-kean-jr/campaign-finance-and-ethics-reform-only-works-if-it-curtails-all/) [Thomas Kean, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-kean-jr/) > [I think that the best approach would be if the American people ever insist that we cut down on the massive amounts of money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/i-think-that-the-best-approach-would-be-if-the-american-people-ever/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Is Christianity just another special-interest group, clawing for political power? Or, even if Christians are acting as God's spokesmen, must Christians always conduct themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-north/is-christianity-just-another-special-interest-group-clawing-for/) [Gary North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-north/) > [When I took the oath of office, I pledged loyalty to only one special interest group - ‘We the people’.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/when-i-took-the-oath-of-office-i-pledged-loyalty-to-only-one-special/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More by Millicent Fenwick > [When you're old, everything you do is sort of a miracle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/when-you-re-old-everything-you-do-is-sort-of-a-miracle/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [Never feel self-pity, the most destructive emotion there is. How awful to caught up in the terrible squirrel cage of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/never-feel-self-pity-the-most-destructive-emotion-there-is-how-awful/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [In our times, significantly, the three outstanding voices against violence have been silenced by murder - Mahatma Gandhi in India, Archbishop Romero in El…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/in-our-times-significantly-the-three-outstanding-voices-against/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [A code of behavior is an inevitable part of life in any community, and if we hadn't inherited ours, we should have had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/a-code-of-behavior-is-an-inevitable-part-of-life-in-any-community-and/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [One of the keys to our present definition of good taste is that it is better to be kind than to be 'correct.' There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/one-of-the-keys-to-our-present-definition-of-good-taste-is-that-it-is/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [What we do stems directly from what we believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/what-we-do-stems-directly-from-what-we-believe/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [Women are on the outside when the door to the smoke-filled room is closed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/women-are-on-the-outside-when-the-door-to-the-smoke-filled-room-is/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [You give bureaucrats power over others, and when the others are poor and helpless, nothing matches government. More than any single exploitive tyrannical force,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/you-give-bureaucrats-power-over-others-and-when-the-others-are-poor/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [You may never reach a solution, but you're never absolved from the responsibility of trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/you-may-never-reach-a-solution-but-you-re-never-absolved-from-the/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [Influence comes out of the work that you've done and the things you've stood for. Influence and power shouldn't be given to just anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/influence-comes-out-of-the-work-that-you-ve-done-and-the-things-you/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [There is hardly a facet of life that is now free of some sort of federal action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/there-is-hardly-a-facet-of-life-that-is-now-free-of-some-sort-of/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [The essence of good taste is a sense of values, and a sense of values is the pivotal point of good living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/the-essence-of-good-taste-is-a-sense-of-values-and-a-sense-of-values/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [I would like to see ... an entirely different procedure which is that we vote on the budget and decide how much we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/i-would-like-to-see-an-entirely-different-procedure-which-is-that-we/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [If there is one thing the past years have taught us, it is the importance of a keen and high sense of honor in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/if-there-is-one-thing-the-past-years-have-taught-us-it-is-the/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [When two working people decide to marry, their federal income tax is usually increased. As soon as one spouse earns at least 20 percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/when-two-working-people-decide-to-marry-their-federal-income-tax-is/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) [Explore all 30 Millicent Fenwick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) ## More Election quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [There's more than 1700 emails out of the thirty three thousand Hillary Clinton emails that we've published, just about Libya. It's not that Libya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/there-s-more-than-1700-emails-out-of-the-thirty-three-thousand/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [It's not clear in the U.S. at the moment, either. We're going through another election.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/it-s-not-clear-in-the-u-s-at-the-moment-either-we-re-going-through/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [I always lose the election in the polls, and I always win it on election day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/i-always-lose-the-election-in-the-polls-and-i-always-win-it-on/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [Elections are not a beauty contest. It is all about tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-franz/elections-are-not-a-beauty-contest-it-is-all-about-tolerance/) [Vladimir Franz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-franz/) > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [The election of Trump threw the chess board up. The pieces are all over the place. 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And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Let's be honest, if the Democrats didn't support ignoring our nation's immigration laws, there is no way they could win the presidency or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/let-s-be-honest-if-the-democrats-didn-t-support-ignoring-our-nation-s/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [I spent many years working for voting rights, but we still see sophisticated efforts, led by white officials, to disenfranchise black voters in local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-brooke/i-spent-many-years-working-for-voting-rights-but-we-still-see/) [Edward Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-brooke/) > [“The answer to the question raised in the title of this essay - Is salvation a matter of divine determination or human responsibility? -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layton-talbert/the-answer-to-the-question-raised-in-the-title-of-this-essay-is/) [Layton Talbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layton-talbert/) > [One of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely a politician's objective. Election and power are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/one-of-the-reasons-people-hate-politics-is-that-truth-is-rarely-a/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) [Browse all 3,344 Election quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The money that is spent in elections is absolutely unconscionable - even if it's private money. It's true that one's not corrupted by the expenditure of one's own money, but to some extent the system is. 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