An example of need for campaign finance reform

I agreed with the conclusions you presented in the Daily Herald's Sunday editorial, “Obligations of citizenship.”

This primary, I was excited about the US Senate election in Illinois. I looked forward to the debates between Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi, two members of the US Congress with strong backgrounds of crafting, debating and passing legislation that promoted an economy of inclusion. Having memories of their own humble origins, they enumerated their success and experience prior to entering the US Congress, as valuable for a US Senator. The Pritzker family, in donating $6 million to an inexperienced candidate, in some ways forced their candidate, Stratton to attack the more experienced candidates with allegations about donations to their campaign finances.

Krishnamoorthi had to explain repeatedly he donated the money to immigrant organizations. Stratton successfully diverted time, since waging a debate based on her accomplishments independent of the governor was difficult. This primary race is an illustration of the need for the USA to have regulation of campaign finance similar to countries like the UK and Canada.

These countries have limited the amount of money to be spent on campaigns, to the extent that even the office of prime minister of the UK, must spend less than most congressional elections in our country. UK and Canadian campaign finances, I believe, comes from equal government funding for each party's candidate. No billionaires or billionaire corporations need to pick their candidates.

Another admirable policy in the UK and Canada is the short time spent in campaigning by all candidates, just a couple of months. What a relief that would be!

Margaret Johnson

Rolling Meadows