Trent Lott

Re “Lott Derails Senate’s Campaign Fund Bill,” Oct. 8:

By attaching an amendment that prevents labor unions from contributing to political campaigns without their members’ permission, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott wiped out any hope of the Senate voting on campaign finance reform before members leave town. Why? Lott wants to be president. He knows that under current laws the Republicans have a huge financial advantage over the Democrats and that by putting off a vote until the next session, no law could possibly go into effect until after the next presidential election.

I watched a commercial paid for by the AFL-CIO that opposes Clinton’s “fast track” economic policy. Even Lott would have to agree that while the AFL-CIO may have supported the president in the election, NAFTA and “fast track” should prove to even the harshest critic that financial support from the labor unions didn’t gain access, buy influence or sway administration policy. The Republicans are becoming like tabloid reporters with their daily doses of innuendo.

Someone needs to tell Lott that Travelgate, Filegate, Whitewater and Paula Jones have left President Bill Clinton with a 63% approval rating. Can we please leave Clinton to the historians and get on with the problems that need to be dealt with? Pass campaign finance reform!

RICH STEEN

Marina del Rey

Lott’s decision to table the campaign finance reform bill is another example of why the United States has the best government that money can buy.

JOEL C. KOURY

Santa Monica

Congress will deal with the campaign reform problem just as surely as the tax simplification bill of a few years back dealt with that problem. We may all rest easy that the bribery and graft will end.

FRED A. WRIGHT

Pacific Palisades

Campaign finance hearings have increased my vocabulary. I now know that “ethical Democrat,” “Republican strategy” and “unbiased reporting” are all oxymorons.

E.N. FRIESEN

Glendale