Your Nov. 7 editorial, “No mandate; challenges loom,” was well balanced. I was glad that you reported the $2 billion spent on the presidential race. Some additions can now be made.

First of all, this obscene expenditure is the result of the conservative Supreme Court’s ruling in the Citizens United case that declared that corporations should be treated as individuals, and placed no limit on the amount of money they can donate. Furthermore, donations from super PACS are not transparent and are unlimited in the amount.

Your readers were bombarded with false or misleading ads from right-wing billionaires. For example, the Koch brothers, who are multibillionaires, sponsored many of these ads. Thomas Peterffy, another billionaire, sponsored an ad with him implying that Obama is turning this country into a socialist dictatorship.

The most ridiculous lie was a last-week Republican ad showing the destruction of an American auto. The ad claimed that “If Obama is elected, Chrysler will outsource its Jeep production to Japan.” The chief executive officer of Chrysler said this was definitely not the case. Romney wanted to scare the autoworkers in Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin, all key states, before the election.

I’m glad the majority of Iowans did not fall for this hogwash. There is now hope that our great nation will not become a plutocracy.

Jim Slitor

Decorah