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Campaign-finance hokum

Cowboy hat By Jim Hightower - Wed., 8/1/01

It seems like politicians and the public live on different planets. Ours is Earth.

Take campaign-finance reform. "Oh, the public doesn't give a damn about that," claim congressional opponents of reform. Earth to Congress: The public does give a very big damn, and we damn you for conniving to continue the current corrupt system.

Let's run the numbers:

l The percentage of the public that thinks politicians often do special favors for those who give large campaign contributions: 80%.

2 The percentage of the public that thinks this is unethical: 74%.

3 The percentage that thinks this is not only unethical, but illegal: 46%.

4 The percentage that thinks "soft money" (the unlimited, unregulated contributions to political parties) ought to be banned: 66%.

Even politicians inside the system concede in their more candid moments that all of this money-grubbing not only tends to corrupt officeholders, but also diverts their time from doing their real job and staying in touch with their constituents.

Despite the public's obvious desire to get the corrupt money out of the system, Congress is further out than Pluto. House Republican leaders are presently trying to block passage of even the modest reform that would at least get rid of soft money.

To push for real reform in your state, contact Public Campaign: 202-293-0222.
Filed Under: Politics