Most Americans think campaign money aids rich

Most Americans, no matter what their political party, believe there is too much money in politics and reject the idea that people should be allowed to spend what they want, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed on Thursday.

Seventy-five percent of Americans feel there is too much money in politics, and only 25 percent feel there is an intrinsic right to unfettered election spending, an argument commonly used by opponents of controls on campaign finance.

Almost the same proportion - 76 percent - feel that the amount of money in elections has given rich people more influence than other Americans, the online survey found.

What we're essentially seeing is Americans are fed up with the system and they think all the money in the system is not fair and they don't like it, said Chris Jackson, research director at Ipsos public affairs.

The poll was taken on May 22-24, with campaigning for the Nov. 6 general election contest between President Barack Obama and presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney well under way.

This year's U.S. elections are expected to be the most expensive ever - with billions of dollars raised and spent on national, state and local races. In April alone, the Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee raised $43.6 million, while Romney took in $40.1 million for his campaign and the Republican National Committee.

Many past controls on campaign spending have been lifted thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, which ruled that corporate and labor union spending in elections is protected free speech.

MORE DEMOCRATS DOWN ON SPENDING

The poll found 79 percent of Democrats believe there is too much money in politics, compared with 68 percent of Republicans. Independents largely agreed with Democrats on the issue, with 77 percent saying there is too much money in politics and campaigns.

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