The greater cost is the loss of freedom by restricting Constitutionally-protected and guaranteed rights.
Here's the thing though; those limitations have always been in effect. Here's a fed example:
http://www.fec.gov/pages/brochures/contriblimits.shtmlEach state has their own charts; google up your own state and see what comes up.
Those limits have been put in place to try to keep the political process as level as possible. A widely un-balanced political process means ruin and will lead to massive loss of freedoms.
Constitutional free speech is not unlimited; never has been, never will be.