There are rules prohibiting elected officials from accepting money or gifts while in office. Is that because we hate our elected officials? No. It’s because without this prohibition officials would act in the narrow interest of those providing gifts. No public figure, and certainly no ordinary citizen, would defend a system that made decisions this way. Yet we tolerate an electoral system in which the very privilege of holding office is bestowed upon individuals by the “gift” of financial support for election campaigns.

It is hard to imagine a system that would offer big money “donors” more complete control over our elected officials. And this has exactly the same effect as gifts given directly to the officials: corruption. Decision after decision is made with more consideration given to the sources of campaign funding than to the well being of the American public. The recently passed “Energy Bill” with its $1.5 billion giveaway to oil companies, including Vice President Cheney’s former employer, Halliburton, is a good example. These companies are experiencing record profits and have huge amounts of cash on hand yet they are being given tax dollars that have to be made up by ordinary taxpayers. They also happen to be massive campaign donors. Go figure. Corporations are not magnanimous. Their bottom line is the bottom line. They get more than they give. Which means someone else gives more than they get. Guess who?

So, if privately funded campaigns are a good deal for corporations, publicly funded campaigns would be a good deal for ordinary people. People, including politicians, work for the man who pays their bills. Are the politicians working for you? Go to Public Campaign’s website and see how you can change this.

Ken Dammand

Marysville