Posted on 12/06/2003 5:45:23 AM PST by FNU LNU
Most are aware that political contributions from foreign citizens are illegal in America, and we approve because we believe that only citizens should finance our political campaigns. Even if a foreign national owns a great deal of property in the United States, he's not allowed to vote or contribute to political campaigns whose outcomes would affect his property.
Why shouldn't this be true on all political levels? Why should someone "foreign" to your county be able to contribute to a county official he can't vote for when his contribution may sway the election much more than your vote?
Why should someone outside your Senate or House congressional district be able to contribute to a candidate whom he is not allowed to vote for when his contribution may exert much more influence than your vote?
Why should a citizen foreign to Texas be allowed to contribute to the campaign of a Texas senator or representive whom he cannot possibly vote for when his contribution may influence the politicians much more than all Texans?
When an orange-grower in Florida contributes thousands to a Texas senatorial candidate because he thinks he will be helped in Florida, who do you really think that candidate will represent more effectively? You, who may contribute nothing or a few dollars, or the orange-grower?
Don't such contributions completely destroy representative democracy?
Not impressed with how your representatives are concerned about your will?
Perhaps it's because their allegiance has been bought off.
In his Nov. 28 column, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak reveals that Rep. Nick Smith, R-Mich., whose son is running to succeed him, was pressured by other Republicans to vote for the Medicare bill, promising his son $100,000 for his vote.
When he resisted, other Republicans from Illinois and California threatened that his son would never come to Congress unless the dad voted the way they wanted. He didn't change his vote, and now these fellow Republicans are taunting Smith that his son is dead meat. Tell me the people of Michigan haven't been disenfranchised completely by campaign financing foreign to their state.
Federal Election Committee records show that Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., received 97 percent of his individual contributions in a recent year from outside his state! Who do you think he represents? Who would you represent if nearly all of your contributions came from "foreigners"?
This is not an attack on Conrad or Democrats. All politicians of all parties are involved, and all citizens of whatever political stripe have had their representation robbed by foreign contributions.
Why not make it illegal to contribute to any candidate for any office you can't vote for? This would include outlawing corporate contributions, since corporations cannot vote in any election. Then perhaps elected officials would represent local citizens who voted for and supported them, rather than foreign and corporate interests.
Why not identify politicians not only by their party and state but also by their "foreign factor"? Conrad would be identified as "D, N.D., F-97 percent" in the paper and on television. Betcha campaign financing would change in a hurry!
Former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker supported this concept and got nowhere with it. I doubt I will either.
Congress won't fix this problem; it's too "degraded" seeking campaign funds - senators to the tune of $50,000 per day.
We probably won't get enough people mad enough to pick up their pitchforks and torches, but at least let's don't bother fiddling with congressional district boundaries and touting "one man, one vote" as long as out-of-state contributors and corporations exercise such undue influence over our politicians.
Samuel G. Dawson is a resident of Amarillo
Because it is a free country?
McCain’s shallow finance reform bill was nothing more than the pleadings of a spoiled brat trying to gain media attention for his bruised ego – the bill did not reform the foreign aid used by the Clintons and others for campaign financing. Special interests have inflicted undue influence over our politicians for eons...I agree with this gentleman, stop all outside influence/money from our elections be it foreign or domestic. Repeal the McCain/Feingold CFR bill and do a bill that makes sense and put teeth in it!
Reverse poll tax?
Seriously, as long as Kent Conrad, or any other Senator or Representative, can cast a vote that significantly affects my life and money, even though I live in a different state, I believe I should have the right to affect his (or hers, especially Hillary!) election/re-election.
Evidently you have so little faith in mankind that you think all it takes is money to get elected.
You also believe in totalitarian government, but you are too blinded by envy and hatred to see it.
I feel sorry for you.
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