Presidental Campaign TV Ad Spending Baffles Me

As I was skimming some online articles last night, I came across this graphic on the left. I'm just baffled by the numbers on the left of the chart.

Did both Presidential campaigns really spend over $275 million on TV ads alone? What kind of money was spent on print ads, stickers, buttons, signs, billboards....?

I think it is sad that this is what it means to run for a government office. If you can raise more money then the odds are that you will get more votes. Not to mention the fact that this money could have been used to do so much more for America than fill our commercial breaks with attack ads (and this is just for President).

What would happen if at least some of the campaign money was spent on something useful? What if it went to help rebuild homes, feed the hungry, increase teachers salaries, support local community programs?

But that will never happen. We, as Americans, are too stuck on ourselves to really help out others. At least, not with our own money.

I hope that someday this might change. I hope that someday Americans will realize there is enough "wealth" in this country to allow each person to have a decent life. We don't need to "borrow" (or print more) money do what needs to be done.

I don't normally write about politics, but this just always bothers me. What do you think? Am I way off here? Could this ever change?