Pick A Pack Of Pols

 

The article "Picking a PAC" by Tom Richman (August) heralds the ultimate erosion of our democratic system and underscores the contempt that business exhibits for the rules of government.

After more than 40 years of watching the political scene, I have no illusions regarding the less-than-noble aspirations and objectives of the political animal, but I resent the implication that the wholesale and retail buying and selling of congressmen and senators is an acceptable public undertaking.

I had thought at first that the article was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but when it was suggested that results from contributing political money (bribes?) could be reduced to mathematical formulae, I had to infer that the author was serious.

On the other hand, if we did permit the making of a market for national representatives and other elected officials, it might hasten the day when the entire unmoral and predatory prostituted governmental system would collapse of its own corruption, and we could again seek government for, by, and of the people.

Or are we so far gone that we only speak of governmental responsibility as an impossible dream?

EDITOR-NOTE:

Richman replies: My tongue was firmly in cheek when I compared PACs to mutual funds, although I believe the comparison is apt. And, while I would join Mr. Madison in decrying the practice of buying and selling politicians, organized labor and other special interest groups have been at it far longer than business. If the AFL-CIO can buy influence in Washington, why should small business not be able to spread its cash around, too? Congress, not business or labor, wrote the laws that have given the country's highest political forum all the dignity of a goint-out-or-business sale.