Letter: A scream for public funding of campaigns
It's the invisible elephant in the room. It's the millions of dollars of campaign contributions given mostly to Republicans by gun interests to block gun safety.
Sixteen of the 50 Republican U.S. senators received over $1 million in career National Rifle Association funding. Fifteen others received over $100,000. All but one of the rest received thousands of dollars.
"It is hard to say no to someone, to groups, who are principal suppliers of campaign funding and that's where they are trapped," Sen. Edward Markey, a Massachussetts Democrat, said of Republicans.
It's the same with pharmaceutical companies giving millions mostly to Republicans to block Medicare from negotiating drug prices; with insurance companies to block Medicare expansion in ages and to include hearing, eye and dental care; with corporations and the wealthy to get lower taxes; with fossil fuel companies to block strong action against climate change.
Mostly Republicans oppose reduced-cost child care and free preschool and community college for fear their big donors might have to pay higher taxes.
Surprise, mostly Republicans oppose campaign finance reform.
The powerful force of big money frequently triumphs in our supposed democracy.
It's a scream for public funding of election campaigns.
Richard Barsanti
Western Springs