According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), President Barack Obama has raised $300,134,364 to date, and Mitt Romney has raised $153,537,758. These numbers represent a major disconnect between the American population and the act of campaigning for office.

Campaign funds go towards travel expenses, staff salaries, television advertisements, and any number of expenses that can come up along the campaign trail. In the 21st century, some of these expenses could be eliminated. Methods of communication have changed. Expensive television ads could be replaced by viral Internet videos placed on YouTube or Hulu. The antiquated method of travelling from city to city, could be replaced by candidates video-conferencing their potential constituents.

The fact is the travel aspect of the presidential campaign trail, takes away from what a candidate was originally hired to do, especially in the case of the President of the United States.

The numbers don’t lie. Politico.com recently reported that Obama’s job panel has not met in the last six months. During his run for re-election, Obama has attended 163 fundraising events, according to ABC news. These numbers represent a problem for Obama in his run for a second term. They signify to some Americans that Obama perhaps does not have his priorities in order.

“If [the President] were to just show us, in these last few months of the election season, everything that he could do, it would say a lot more than any political ad or speech could,” said Avery Schmidt of Chicago.

Romney receives 83 percent of his donations from “large personal contributions” according to OpenSecrets.org.

One of his own campaign ads states that roughly 23 million Americans need work. As a candidate, Romney cannot expect to receive the support of out-of-work Americans, when he is so obviously supported by people who aren’t currently feeling the same desperation.

The disconnect between campaigning and Americans goes further than numbers and dollars.

In recent months, both presidential campaigns have issued attack ads against each other. Romney’s campaign ads paint President Obama as a man who has little understanding of the intricacies of economics. His ads flash frightening statistics at the watcher, followed by what appears to be a disillusioned statement from the President. The ads completely gloss over anything that Romney plans to do for the country other than his campaign slogan of “Believe in America.”

President Obama’s attack ads try to create distance between Romney and the American population. The most recent ad features Romney hauntingly singing “America the Beautiful,” while excerpts from various news outlets explain all the things that Romney does that are “un-American.” The incumbent candidate fails to mention plans for his second term in office.

In the quest for the Oval Office, presidential candidates lose sight of what their actions during their campaigns show Americans. Americans don’t need a president who can shake hands, kiss a baby, or make lofty speeches. Americans don’t need a president who can spend large sums of money or explain why someone else is unqualified for the position.

What Americans need, and what both candidates are failing to demonstrate in their campaigns, is a president who can do the job.
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