campaign spending record by $700 million and is about equal to the gdp of the uber-rich riviera princiality monaco. the now- famous supreme court citizens united decision played a big role in the big money boom, allowing deep-pocketed political players to donate unlimited amounts to outside groups, or so-called super pacs, who spent nearly $1 billion on all races this campaign cycle, with a majority going to the presidential contest but more than $400 million funding congressional races. 'fundamentally, our constitution gives us the right of free speech, and it's my belief that super pacs are just exercising that right. 'yes, there is a first amendment right to free speech, and individuals ought to have free speech, but i'm not convinced money is the same thing as speech.' regadless of where one stands on the legal basis of super pacs, their growing influence measured in the dollars they spend cannot be doubted. just 20 years ago, outside groups spent just $18 million on campaigns. in 2000, that number grew to $41 million, and in 2008, it boomed to $286 million. still, those figures fall far short