Lectures on Tap - "Why Are American Elections So Expensive?"

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🧠 Lecture: "Why Are American Elections So Expensive?"

🎤 Speaker: Professor Bruce Larson

Join us for an engaging evening as Professor Bruce Larson unpacks one of the most contested questions in American democracy: why are U.S. elections so costly—and what does all that money do?

Drawing on both historical trends and contemporary data, this lecture traces the dramatic growth in campaign spending, the forces driving that growth, and the consequences for democratic representation and governance. Professor Larson will highlight the pivotal role of the Supreme Court in shaping campaign finance law, focusing on landmark decisions that have transformed the rules governing money in politics and complicated efforts at reform.

Professor Larson is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Gettysburg College. His research centers on campaign finance and its relationship to political representation and governing. He served as chair of the American Political Science Association’s Campaign Finance Research Group until September 2026 and currently collaborates with scholars and reform advocates on campaign finance research.

With public concern about money in politics at an all-time high—but solutions far from clear—this lecture promises a timely, lively discussion.

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