Campaign Finance
Re “Lapping It Up,” Convention 2000, Aug. 16: Political soft money is a legitimate concern. But the talk about big money’s influence in governing is merely talk until two huge problems are solved: the Supreme Court’s decision that money is speech and the exorbitant prices that the television networks charge for their time. The amount of money raised for a political campaign is directly related to the costs of running that campaign. The television networks use the airwaves that belong to all of us to earn enormous profits but refuse to give time to, or even discount their fees for, political candidates.
A candidate might decide to do the ethical thing and refuse soft money. The public would applaud his ethics, but his opponent would win the election. Ask Ralph Nader.
CONSTANCE PENCALL
Whittier
Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter
Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond. In your inbox three times per week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
