Campaign Reform Bill

Re “Congress Shuns a Mandate to Pass Campaign Reform,” editorial, Feb. 16: Campaign finance reform is a key issue for the nation. Polls show a widespread desire on the part of citizens for such reform. The success of California’s Prop. 208 last November was concrete evidence of how the voters feel.

Now the initiative for reform at the national level rests with the Congress. The bipartisan McCain-Feingold legislation has gathered a disappointingly small group of supporters so far. It appears that the desire for reelection--to use the existing system with its unfair bias toward incumbents and its magnification of influence by well- financed special interest groups--has overridden clear thinking about the good of the nation and its political institutions.

Our senators and Congress members regularly hear from those who benefit from the present biased system; now they need to hear from the rest of us.

DONALD E. MUELLER

Huntington Beach

Your editorial is well intended but misses the mark. Campaign finance reform, spending limits, public finance, equal access, term limits, disclosure laws, etc. will have no effect until we address the root problem. We need voter reform.

Unless and until voters are willing to ignore the media slants, both left and right, tune out the commercials, ignore the hit-piece mailers and start doing their own homework and come to their own conclusions about issues and track records of candidates and use their own God-given gray matter, no amount of laws will give us better government.

Marketing works. Why else would the political parties spend $200 million? They know that a sound bite will sway voters. They know a good hit piece can win precincts. You won’t stop the marketing campaigns by changing the laws. You can only stop the marketing if you stop buying the product that is being sold.

MARK C. PEREW

Santa Ana