Hayes: Billionaires could make U.S. elections resemble horse races

In the aftermath of billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson giving $10 million to the Super PAC supporting Newt Gingrich, MSNBC's Chris Hayes speculated Saturday that unless campaign finance rules are changed, U.S. political elections could start resembling the Kentucky Derby.

"According to 'Forbes, the $10 million Adelson dropped on Gingrich is what his biggest hotel casino, the Marina Bay Sands, can make in profit in one day," Hayes mentioned. "What if he's decided to really go for it and gave Gingrich's Super PAC a hundred million? It's a testament to the power of the status quo and the force of norms that this campaign hasn't already become a protracted proxy battle between billionaires."

He added: "For all the talk of horse race coverage of presidential campaigns, perhaps the future of presidential elections will be like actual horse races. Billionaires choose their candidates of choice and hire jockeys -- that is campaign staff and operatives to ride them. We'll even have an active betting market among the masses who watch their wealthy race their play things. That's a dystopic vision. But if things don't change, that is maybe where we're headed."

WATCH: Video from MSNBC, which was broadcast on January 28, 2012.

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