…For the poor it consists in sustaining and preserving the wealthy in their power and their laziness. The poor must work for this, in presence of the majestic quality of the law which prohibits the wealthy as well as the poor from sleeping under the bridges, from begging in the streets, and from stealing bread…

The Red Lily, Anatole France

Just think of the impact of every single registered voter in Missouri contributing one dollar to a statewide campaign of their choice.

And Missouri campaign finance law, in all its majesty, places no limits on the campaign contributions of rich and poor alike.

In today’s Kansas City Star:

Missouri’s no-limit legislature stokes debate over ethics reform

January 4

By JASON HANCOCK

[….]

When it comes to campaign donations, lawmakers repealing limits in 2008 created a new crop of mega donors.

In the years since the legislature repealed donation limits, retired financier Rex Sinquefield doled out more than $28 million to various candidates, committees and political causes – five times more than any other individual donor.

Last summer, Sinquefield gave $1.3 million to Grow Missouri and $750,000 to Missouri Club for Growth in an effort to override Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of Republican-backed tax cuts. A rush of donations at the year’s end brought his political contributions in Missouri to $3.8 million for 2013.

But while Sinquefield may have the deepest pockets in Missouri, he’s hardly alone. During his 2012 run for lieutenant governor, for example, Lager received nearly $1 million in donations from just three people, all relatives of Joplin businessman David Humphreys.

[….]

Via the Missouri Ethics Commission (in 2013):

C091145 02/12/2013 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Self 2/7/2013 $20,000.00

==========

C121045 05/24/2013 TEACHGREAT.ORG Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 5/23/2013 $100,000.00

C121045 12/24/2013 TEACHGREAT.ORG Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 12/24/2013 $750,000.00

==========

C031260 07/02/2013 DOOLEY FOR ST LOUIS COUNTY Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Self Retired 6/30/2013 $100,000.00

==========

C091068 07/08/2013 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE, INC Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 7/6/2013 $25,000.00

==========

C131097 07/11/2013 GROW MISSOURI Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 7/9/2013 $1,300,000.00

C131097 12/20/2013 GROW MISSOURI Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 12/19/2013 $245,000.00

C131097 12/31/2013 GROW MISSOURI Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 12/30/2013 $250,000.00

==========

C000865 07/12/2013 ASSOCIATED INDUSTRIES OF MO-PAC Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 7/10/2013 $100,000.00

==========

C010081 07/12/2013 MO CHAMBER PAC Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 retired 7/10/2013 $200,000.00

==========

C101046 07/17/2013 MISSOURI CLUB FOR GROWTH POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 7/15/2013 $750,000.00

==========

C121488 12/24/2013 MISSOURIANS FOR EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT Rex and Jeanne Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 none retired 12/23/2013 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

That’s $3,865,000.00.

According to the Missouri Secretary of State web site there were 4,190,936 registered voters in the state as of October 24, 2012.

Fancy that.