Pubdate: Thu, 19 Nov 1998
Source: San Antonio Express-News (TX)
Contact:  http://www.expressnews.com/
Copyright: 1998 San Antonio Express-News
Author: Sandra Kerrest

WEAN POLITICIANS FROM THEIR MONEY ADDICTIONS

The elections are over. The American people got what a few people paid for.

Soft campaign money is like drugs. And we have 536 known, severely addicted
office holders in Washington D.C., namely the Congress (the exception being
U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis.), the president and the vice president.

As do most drug addicts, they live in denial.

We, the American people, must act as though we were the parents and these
politicians were our children. Since they have shown that they do not have
the willpower to alter the methods used to raise campaign money, we must
help wean them from their addiction and force them to change.

Politicians are like strumpets who sell their bodies for the cash they need.
When politicians refuse to prostitute themselves, they lack the funds
necessary to pay for advertising blitzes. Unfortunately, we are expected
choose our elected officials the way we choose our soap, through
advertising.

Where and when will it stop? How about changing campaign finance laws for a
start?

Sandra Kerrest

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Checked-by: Don Beck