No Compromises (
By Dean
Hartwell
Some people think that political
agreements should be based upon compromise. That may be a good idea in most
cases, given the strong differences in opinion about various issues.
However, some issues are worth fighting for. Campaign finance reform is one of
them. Today, the House of Representatives passed a bill that phases out soft
money yet does little to change contributions individuals and Political Action
Committees (PACs) may give to candidates for federal office.
Even if this bill passes in its current form, it is not enough. Most people
cannot afford to give to political campaigns at the current maximum annual
contribution level of $1,000, which may be doubled. Corporations will still
likely influence politicians through PACs, which may now give up to $5,000 a
year.
We should abolish PAC contributions to ensure that only individuals have the
right to contribute to political campaigns. We should also move the maximum
contribution level down to $100.
Why $100? For one, a recent candidate for president whom I profiled in Truth
Matters, Jerry Brown, waged a credible campaign taking no more than that
amount. For another, even people on minimum wage could afford it.
Then, we could all have equal opportunity to influence elections. This
principle should not be compromised!