Correspondent of the week

By: Letters To the editor | Winston-Salem Journal
Published: February 07, 2010

Puppets of health-care industry

Every citizen in this country should look upon the health-care reform fiasco as a forewarning. Nothing in Washington is going to change until there is substantial campaign-finance reform. In reality, our elected officials were puppets of the health-care industry.

Months ago I read that the health-care industry had invested a quarter billion dollars in advertising, lobbying and contributions to our elected representatives to determine the outcome of the much-needed reform in our health-delivery system. According to the Public Campaign Action Fund, our own Sen. Richard Burr has received at least $270,000.

I have a modest proposal for realistic reform. First, there would be no PACs. Second, only individuals could contribute to the campaign "war chests" of any elected official or candidate for office. No corporation, lobbyist, or organization would be allowed to contribute. We would then be closer to the spirit of the concept of one person, one vote. Third, any person running for office could receive contributions only from individuals he or she would be representing. Why would any donor from outside their jurisdiction want to contribute other than to exercise undue influence? Fourth, contributions from individuals would have a realistic maximum.

To actually enhance the quality of an election, corporations and organizations could sponsor bipartisan forums and open debates.

When excessive donations from corporations are made to politicians, I cannot distinguish those donations from bribes. We must return the power to govern to the people. Though the possibly of real change is slim.

CHARLES F. WILSON

Winston-Salem