A recent letter writer to The Courier-Herald (Feb. 3, 2010) lamented the Supreme Court overturning the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act and ruling it abridged the First Amendment freedom of speech. He further took to task Republican John McCain for supporting this judicial verdict. Obviously the writer forgot the BCRA was also named the “McCain-Feingold Act,” as in John McCain.
Amazement abounded as he further espoused the liberal Democrat talking points that the big, insert Republican, corporations and foreign countries would control future elections. Thus, implying our country’s future would be one of economic turmoil and the destruction of liberty. OK, the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act was in place for the 2009 election, how has that worked out?
Upon examination of national campaign contribution data (www.opensecrets.org), one determines the “Dem./Liberal Leaning Committee Receipts” for 2004-2010 come to $943-plus million. The “Rep./Conservative Leaning Committee Receipts” for the same period totaled $328-plus million –about a third. Furthermore, of the “Top 20 PAC (Political Action Committees) Contributors” to candidates in 2009-2010, 17 donated $14.7 million to the Democrats while $4.5 million went to the Republicans. The majority of the 20 listed PACs were unions, which unanimously supported the party presently in power. Does this make them as evil as the corporations?
In Washington state the same Democrat Party has resurrected the state income tax, SB6250/HB3070, which was previously voted down. But wait there’s more! The Democrats are now maneuvering to circumvent the I-960 requirement that major tax increases must be voted on by the public. Their rationale: the general public isn’t smart enough to realize that assessing “fees” (taxes) on incomes during Washington’s difficult economic downturn increases prosperity. The liberal logic of taxing/spending your way out of debt is lost on me.
In actuality, the citizenry knows the game plan and wants no part of it. Contact your senators/representatives to share your views and then work for term limits.
George Terhaar
Enumclaw
