Americans are forced to suffer every four years through rapid fire of campaign advertisements. These political TV commercials have all the fun of regular commercials with the added bonus of making you feel like the country is doomed.

To make this whole thing worse, according to a Stanford study, political advertisements have proven to have minimal effects on the people’s votes. So while these ads are doing no good, CNN reports that President Obama plans to raise $250 million more for this election then he did back in 2008, and according to the New York Times, Mitt Romney has already raised $63 million as of Jan. 31.

The candidates might as well be throwing money in a bonfire. At least that would warm the homeless.

Candidates talk about how they want to cut taxes and spend the money they do have on worthwhile things, like helping people under the poverty line. These noble causes are hindered by the fact that those candidates and their supporters throw out millions to try and get elected in the first place.

So when you go up to the voting booth in November, think long and hard about all the money wasted and all the money that could be used for a greater purpose.