THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 5, 1995 TAG: 9511030188
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: On the Street
SOURCE: Bill Reed
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
Imagine my utter dismay to discover that money, M-O-N-E-Y, is what runs government in this state and nation.
And all these years I was under the impression that issues such as education, welfare, crime, big government, environment, taxes turned the gears.
Boy, was I in for a big surprise! When I picked up the morning paper this week and found out that our politicians are beholden to moneyed special interests to get elected I almost choked on my bagel, such was my astonishment.
Right there in black and white, it said the speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, who is running against token opposition for re-election, had raked in the most in campaign contributions - $280,537 so far - of any pol in South Hampton Roads.
And who was shelling out the big bucks? Why, a state lawyers' organization, the medical lobby and utilities like Virginia Power, that's who.
Now the speaker could probably beat his two so-called opponents without even talking out of both sides of his mouth, but his big money backers don't want to take any chances. They don't want a nice gentlemanly, Virginia-style victory. They want to crush the suckers.
You don't really think these guys are angling for a teensy-weensy bit of extra consideration when it comes time to passing legislation that is favorable to them, do you? And you don't think they would get more attention than the average Joe and Jane, do you? Nah. Silly of me to even think so.
And how about the $100,000 that Smithfield Foods Inc. contributed to the Guv's political action committee, and the $25,000 more that the company promises to kick into the Guv's fund?
Since Smithfield Foods is facing potentially millions in fines for allegedly violating environmental laws by polluting local waterways with waste from its processing plant, you don't really think the state administration would even for a minute think of giving the corporation a mere tap on the wrist, do you?
Nah. We're talking returning honesty to government here.
Frankly, I'm shocked that we media folks are even harboring negative and cynical thoughts about campaign contributors and their motives. But, you know how us liberal, pinko media members are - always stirring up trouble.
It never occurred to me that millions of dollars slipped into the campaign coffers of politicians by big corporations, insurance conglomerates, religious organizations, medical associations and lawyers' groups might influence the future votes of our selfless, forthright, hard working legislative representatives. After all, this is government for the people, by the people, right?
So, I asked myself, why are the big boys tossing all this loot around? The most obvious answer: to buy TV time and newspaper space to sway public opinion. Conventional political wisdom has it that if enough hot air is pumped into the ears of the average citizen, he or she will be persuaded to run, not walk, to the nearest poll Tuesday and vote for the politician with the fattest campaign slush fund. And guess what? It usually works.
If that's the case, then, why are we even bothering to poke around into sources of campaign contributions here in our dark, dank newspaper offices?
Well, just chalk it up to a liberal, pinko journalist's natural inclination to shine the light on sham. by CNB