How Much Am I Bid on This Donkey (or Elephant)? Asked what they
would pay to guarantee representation in Congress by one party
of another, a majority says not a red (or blue) cent. The tax
debate in Washington this week has a tangible impact on every
family in the country — one that can be measured in literal
dollars and cents. (In fact, you can calculate your personal
impact here.) The scenario is a testament to the fact that
outcomes of elections do matter; if Congress had a different
makeup of Democrats and Republicans today, that dollar amount in
your bank account next year likely would look different, too.
Because of this, it seems logical to think that when people
vote, the consequences should have some real value to them.
Congress sets policies over Medicare, unemployment, tax breaks,
funding for local transportation and services — all kinds of
things that, depending on the party in power, translate to
thousands of dollars of benefits for the individual voter. What,
then, would most people pay to singl