Beware of fund requests disguised as policy polls

Political parties are now gleaning campaign funds for the forthcoming national elections. This is normal for the PACs, who provide the bulk of the financing, but the rank-and-file voter is not being overlooked. He receives requests for funds disguised as policy polls from Washington’s party headquarters. The amazing thing is that the requests don’t even offer candidates for the offices. Apparently there really are voters who vote straight-party tickets, whoever runs! The questions in the polls are extremely partisan, and too general to either define a platform plank or identify a candidate.

The national party organizations are oblivious to numerous local issues, reflecting the political fog within the Washington Beltway. There is even confusion within the parties about candidates running for major offices. Of course, the bureaucracy is always at the ready no matter who wins. It would be a great service to the voters if the parties identified the major bureaucrats rather than the candidates for office.

It is normal for political office holders to decry influence peddling by campaign contributors, but the bureaucrats harvest most of the receipts by indirection; they don’t have to account for most of their take. Consequently, the PACs annually up the take to the point where the de facto political campaigns verge on a billion dollars, although the politicos never have to actually get their hands in the till.

Both major political parties, and several lesser ones, seem to be competing for the voter’s polling views about the same time. No doubt intensity of the polls will grow as the elections approach. Most voters will realize that political policy statements of the kind in the polls are virtually meaningless. One wonders how much of the campaign take is spent on the polls. That would probably feed quite a few hungry people.

God bless.

Joseph Haggin

Arlington Heights