This article is about direct contributions from individuals. This is just a fraction of the donations to political campaigns. For example, you don't find any mention of labor unions which provide more money than individuals and donate almost exclusively to democrats. And we haven't mentioned corporations.
Imagine a giant hammer and sickle and a McDonalds arch so large that you can't see the pile of monopoly pieces or even the White House behind them.
Only when you get to #5 do you see union money. But, the interesting thing about that money is
Most of the political work of the Service
Employees International Union is funded
by about 300,000 janitors, nurses' aides,
child-care providers and other members
who voluntarily contribute on average $7
per month to SEIU's Committee on Political
Education (COPE).
So, the top 5 list for 2012 literally consists of 2 people on the Republican side and hundreds of thousands or millions of people on the Democratic side.
"The Groundwork, according to Democratic campaign operatives and technologists, is part of efforts by Schmidt — the executive chairman of Google parent-company Alphabet — to ensure that Clinton has the engineering talent needed to win the election."
Not all huge contributions to political campaigns are cash given directly to the candidate. Non-cash contributions, like Schmidt's, are much harder to track and regulate.
Imagine a giant hammer and sickle and a McDonalds arch so large that you can't see the pile of monopoly pieces or even the White House behind them.