Letter: Candidates need real campaign finance ideas

Monday, Feb. 21, 2000 | 8:42 a.m.

There are two major fallacies in the arguments by Bush and Alan Keyes. They argue that limiting campaign contributions in any way would usurp the First Amendment's guarantee of "free speech." The Declaration of Independence states "All men are created equal." Using Bush and Keyes' interpretation of the First Amendment, one's right to free speech is expanded or limited based on the amount of money one has in his bank account.

The second fallacy is their fear of the unions. While complaining about workers not having a say in union advocacy, they ignore the fact that church members have no say in the expenditure of the Christian Coalition to support the Religious Right and the Republicans. Nor do they mention that corporate stockholders have no say in who get political action committee or corporate contributions.

The candidates need to seek real campaign finance reform and quit complaining about Gore's visit to a Buddhist temple and the abuses by both the Democrats and Republicans during the 1996 election. Let them advocate true and meaningful changes to the current corrupt practices.

RAY HARBERT

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