In the following question, a short passage is given with one of the lines in the passage missing and represented by a blank. Select the best out of the five answer choices given, to make the passage complete and coherent.
Around the world, electoral democracies have become infected by the disease of funding political parties and elections. Money is required to win elections legitimately, even when people are not bribed to vote, which is illegitimate. Communications with citizens, essential for democracy, can be very expensive. _____________________. If one party raises a million to spend, and the other raises two million, the first must raise even more or its money would have been wasted were it to lose the election. Thus, the race to raise more money for legitimate electioneering purposes can corrupt the process of funding parties and elections.
Solutions are not easy because the right to free speech and to put one’s money where one’s mouth is is a fundamental right that cannot be denied as the Supreme Court of the United States ruled.