Political Funds
Richard N. Goodwin’s Jan. 30 commentary shows how long our country has suffered from the undue influence of monied “citizens ... actuated by some common interest .J.J. adverse to the rights of other citizens or to the ... interests of the community,” as Goodwin quotes James Madison.
The “common interest” was and is greed. Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1816, “I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our country to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country.”
Jefferson and Madison saw the grotesque infant called influence buying. Today we are faced with the full-grown greedy giant. It must be destroyed now!
ART BEDARD
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