End Conflicting Interests
By Susana Hegstrom, Letter to the Editor
I am disappointed by your, "Good Intentions, bad results"
editorial regarding the Clean Money Initiative, Proposition
89.
Our current system of private funding of campaigns is rife
with blatant conflicts of interest. Why do we tolerate a
system where our representatives are making policy
decisions which directly affect people stuffing large
checks into their campaign coffers?
Furthermore, our elected representatives spend an
inordinate amount of time they are supposed to be serving
the public, instead raising money for the next election. We
should not be paying the salaries of representatives while
they romance lobbyists and big donors.
If we want public servants to serve with integrity, we must
offer them a more dignified alternative to fund elections.
As for gerrymandered districts, clean candidates would be
able to run competitive campaigns in districts that
generally would be completely left alone by big-money and
even the parties. Having challengers even in highly stacked
districts would strengthen political discourse and give the
voters a true choice in every district.
With these and other benefits of Prop. 89 I hope that all
Californians will fight to stop political corruption and
vote yes in November.
Susana Hegstrom
Newport Beach
See the article on Orange County Register website