Crowdfunding is growing at an unprecedented rate and impacting government policies, influencing enterprise innovation, and changing the role of financial institutions worldwide. Just five years ago, crowdfunding reported $880 million in 2010, indicating a relatively small market with minimal growth potential. However, equity crowdfunding has gained considerable ground in the United States after the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act was passed by President Barack Obama in 2012. Under Title II of the JOBS Act, which came into force in September 2013, nearly $220 million in capital was raised through equity crowdfunding in its first year. The growth of equity crowdfunding in the U.S. has continued at a fast pace, with an estimated $2.5 billion raised in 2015 and expectations that it could reach $36 billion by 2020. At this rate, equity crowdfunding will supplant venture capital as the largest startup-funding source. Political campaigns may have a symbiotic relationship to crowdfunding. In a sense, politicians have been crowdfunding political donations for years, even before the term was generally known. Since then, many have used actual internet-based crowdfunding campaigns in their fundraising. Donald Trump at one point thought it was huge. In the pioneer days of donation-based crowdfunding, Mr. Trump was enamored with the whole idea of crowdfunding. Later, he still liked it, but not as much. As one might expect, Senator Sanders’ crowdfunding views have evolved inversely of Donald Trump’s. Bernie Sanders was opposed to the JOBS Act in the beginning and then used crowdfunding methodology to help fund the most successful grass-roots campaign in Presidential election history. Bill Clinton is an open admirer of crowdfunding. In April 2013, former President Bill Clinton said; “I believe, at least for the movies that are made for a million bucks or what else, I think if they are powerful and effective and they represent both a depiction of a significant social problem at home and around the world, and offer people a response as to what can be done about it, yes I believe that there could be a lot of movies crowdfunded.” Hillary Clinton has been remarkably silent about her views, if any, regarding crowdfunding. She was not serving in the U.S. Senate when the Jobs Act was passed and has not openly expressed her opinion in the press. Concisely, Donald liked it a lot, but seems to have moved on, Bernie thought it was the worst idea ever but found it safe, and morally acceptable enough, when the proceeds are directed at his campaign, Bill definitely likes crowdfunding, especially for socially conscious movies. We don’t know whether Hillary likes crowdfunding for startups, or investors. Ordinary investors may have to pull the lever this November without knowing, for sure, whether the candidate they have chosen will support the fledgling industry. In a sense, crowdfunders will have to buy the book to see what’s in it. Now, what do you think will be the future of Crowdfunding under the next US president?
What would any of them do to stop it, turn off the internet? Not being glib, I don't think they can change it. On a side note, mobile phones and organizing apps are the future of unionism. Bring it on I say.