Senate Campaign Finance Hearings

The intramural charges by members of the Senate over the possible subversion of our election process by money from China might have merit if our government had not been in that business for decades. Their outrage has a theatrical ring. Who can count the elections we have bought, elected governments we have overturned and the bloody-handed despots we have seated and supported? Members admit the electorate’s cynical disregard. Our declining voting percentage is a national disgrace.

If a renaissance in respected government is desired, Congress might well tone down its moral posturing, stop treating voters as uninformed fools, end its servile catering to foreign influence and legislate beyond the blood sport of the next election. Or is rigor mortis too far advanced? Americans really do want to support and honor political leaders. After all, it was not the electorate that trashed national government.

WILLIAM S. PATTERSON

Palm Desert

* I never thought that I’d have an opportunity to congratulate a Democrat but the nonpartisan, common-sense performance of Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) on the Senate’s fund-raising hearings is most refreshing and sets a high standard of excellence for both Republicans and Democrats to follow.

He is certainly in sharp contrast to his fellow Democrats on the committee, especially Ohio’s John Glenn, the committee’s senior Democrat, who continues to embarrass himself as a blatant partisan with the able help of Sen. Robert Torricelli from New Jersey. It is unfortunate that more of Lieberman’s characteristics do not show up more often in others.

BOB BALL

Anaheim