COMMENTARY
Support campaign finance reform for Senate and House
By Andrew Christiansen
Callup poll taken last |une indi
cated 11 percent of Americans rate
X JLCongress highly for ethics and
honesty. This is lower than real estate
agents, journalists, lawyers, hankers and
nearly every other profession other than
used car salespeople.
Voter dissatisfaction is caused by the
public's opinion that its representatives
are bought and sold on a free market. As
of late, the easiest way to turn a politi
cian's head is through the influence of
money, which has caused public policy
to be diverted from the public good.
People have expressed their concern
through overwhelming voter turnout,
which has put some new blood into the
heart of America with the message of
change for a better tomorrow.
A legislative bill is entering Congress
soon to establish campaign finance
reforms in hopes of leveling out the polit
ical playing field. Public support is des
perately needed in order to insure that a
sense of democracy will be restored in
America.
Over the past 12 years, the influence
of money has been one of the most pow
erful driving forces that controls how our
public policy is formed. The cost of run
ning an effective campaign has risen
tremendously, with politicians running
up bills close to $60,000 (in Oregon).
Per voter spending for Senate seats in
Oregon has jumped by 49 percent
between 1986 and 1990, 62 percent for
House seats. New records were set by
Oregon politicians for campaign spend
ing. with Senate spending costing $2.17
per voter (nearly four times that of other
states).
Fifty percent of the House gets SO per
cent of its money from Political action
Committees. Candidates are also able to
“bundle" money, in which rather than
receiving a contribution from a single
company, each individual front that com
pany would donate a certain sum them
selves at the same time.
This increases the money received by
the hopeful office holder, while hiding
the name of the company that donated
the money.
Another way candidates may receive
contributions is through donations to the
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particular political party instead of
directly to the individual.
These methods of contribution cause
these candidates to worry more about
financing than their policy develop
ments. and they often lean toward special
interest groups to insure they'll have
money coming in. All this at the expense
of the average citizen.
This gives people the perception that
the system is stacked against them, caus
ing many to lose faith in the system all
together. This need for money has
increased Congress' dependence on these
special interest groups, overshadowing
the needs of citizen constituent concerns
Also, this money enables incumbents
to consistently hold their seats in office,
because they can simply outspend their
opponents in election campaigns.
PACs donated $3.3 for every $1 con
tributed to challengers or incumbents,
making up 90 percent of the total money
donated to candidates. On average. House
incumbents spent $557,403 compared to
the $168,828 spent by their opponents,
most of it coming from the PACs.
Even with the rise of anti-incumbent
attitudes. most incumbents wort* able to
maintAin their seels in office, due to the
sole fact that they had more money than
their challengers.
There is a simple solution to the whole
monetary issue — limit the amount being
spent.
Oregonians showed their thirst for
change at the polls with the overwhelm
ing passage of term limits. This will suc
ceed in eventually removing the bad
apples who are stalemating positive
growth in the state.
Unfortunately, it also removes the good
apples who are actually concerned over
the public well-being Greater limits on
our politicians must be imposed because
they make pertinent decisions in this
country.
The legislative bill up for vote soon in
Congress will accomplish the following
goals:
First, it would limit the amount of
money special interest groups give to can
didates. and how much these candidates
may accept from them.
Second, the bill would make resoim.es
available to < nndidates to redme their
dependency on contributions. such us
grants, matching funds, and free or
redut ad-coat television and mailings
Funding for this could be accomplished
hv repealing the tax dedut lion for lobby
ing. providing roughly $100 million per
year.
Third, it would limit how much can
didates may spend on their individual
campaigns, i mating a level playing held
for all candidates Hy tying public fund
ing to spending limits, this would create
mi entices for candidates to stick to the
established amount
Fourth, it would close the loophole that
allows contributors to get around limits
by giving to the particular political party
rather than to the individual candidate.
Fifth, the hill would reform the Feder
al Flection Commission to improve its
offer tiveness in monitoring and safe
guarding federal election* and enforcing
new legislation
It is time to put the power hack where
it belongs — in the hands of the people
President Clinton has vowed to instill
tougher i ampaign finance reform laws
that were passed earlier by Congress yet
vetoed by Huslt.
He has made it a priority of his within
the First 1(H) days in office, audit is up to
you to ensure ho doesn’t go back on his
word. The people have shown thov want
change hy the turnout at the polls, and
the overwhelming vote for term limits
But that was just the beginning It is
time to put change in effect. Write to your
congressmen and congresswomen and
tell them husv you ft*ei about the issue, or
get in touch yvith an organization that has
its foot in the door of the political
process, such as OSPIRG or a student
political party
These groups will Imi sure to |M>int you
in the right direction, (iet involved. The
time has come to restore America's faith
in its own system of government, and
ensure ihut nobody is getting out-voiced
by special interest money. Government
should be run on the basis of ideology
and not go to the highest bidder.
Andrew Christiansen is a phvsirs major
at the University
LETTERS
Middle East
Alim Tal's commentary (ODE,
March 9) in response to my essay
of Mari h 5 on the policies of
water in the Muiille Hast does not
offer any scholarly refutation. By
hiding behind religion, Tal's ram
blmgs search to legitimize the
occupation of land lived on for
centuries by Palestinians. "The
last refuge of a scoundrel is either
patriotism or religion," someone
said lung ago.
The 1999 Fnvironmental Law
Conference publicly circulated
agenda did not reflect any pan
el on the Middle Fast
On the subject of water in the
Middle hast, the study of the
University of Pennsylvania's
Thomas Naff is a must. Also
helpful is the research of the
University of Michigan's profes
sor of geography. |ohn Kolars
(Person's article. "Trustee-Occu
pant: The Legol Status of Israel's
Presence in the West Bank.” in
the Harvard Journal of Interna
tional Ijaw, Vol. 14. should also
prove beneficial.
Finally, people who defend
Israel and its practices should at
least show some honesty. God
and the prophot* havo nover
taon in the real estate business.
Israel was t reated in 194H and is
sustained through the tnixht of
force, billions of United States
dollars, and a good public rela
tions network.
For a tatter understanding of
how Israel was created, read
Alfred Lillienthal's Zionist Con
nection: Eveland's Hopes of
Sand: John Snelsmger's Tru
man. Ihtt Jewish Vote, and the
Creation of Israel: and the
recently published The Passion
ate Attachment by former
under-Secretary of State (ieorge
Hull and his son
Tal's commentary point* a
hen inn picture of an otherwise
complex situation Peace does
not come through dishonesty.
M. Reza Behrvam
Eugene
Conference
The title of the Ememltf* urti
de of March 9. "Conference
embraced Middle East," wasn't
accurate. Mow could a confer
ence embrace the Middle East if
the organizers didn't even men
tion it in their schedule?
And if the conference
embraced the Middle East, whal
ha|i(H)iu!d to tt*’ presence of the
Iranians. Turks, Kurds. Saudis.
Irnquis. Syrians, (ordanians,
Lebanese. Vamunis and Libyans
in ihu conference?
How many panels on the Mid
dle Last were scheduled during
the four-day conference?
Something rotten went on.
University officials, highur edu
cation hoard members and the
luiwrald's courageous reporters
should investigate.
Wira Kurnlawan
Eugene
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