I recently read a letter addressing the issue of campaign finance reform. I am far from an expert on the subject, but I found the letter interesting. It was addressed to Bill Clinton from Paul Simon. The copy I read had been published in “Christian Ethics Today”.

In the letter, Paul Simon illustrates how people and organizations who contribute large sums of money to political campaigns are able to use their influence to “undercut our democracy”. He cites a couple of examples.

Paul Simon is a long time supporter of labor, but voted for the North American Free Trade Agreement, widely known as NAFTA. After considering the issues, he was convinced that it was the best thing for our nation and for the rest of the nations of North America. His long-time friends in the labor movement were not happy. He said that, “one respected official told a small gathering that I had been the recipient of more than $600,000 in contributions from them in the last election. He implied clearly that I had been bought and paid for and that there was something unethical about my voting against those who had been so generous to my campaign.”

Another time, Paul said that someone who had raised a lot of money for him felt that he was owed a federal judgeship. Paul writes of him, “He does not have the temperament to be a good federal judge, but if the call had been marginal, his comment to me, no matter what his qualifications, would have precluded me from recommending him for a judgeship.”

I suspect that some elected officials, if not many, are unlike Paul Simon. I suspect the influence of money can make politicians act against what they perceive is in the best interest of the nation.

Consider the following senerio that Paul Simon presents: “This system affects all of us. I have never made a promise involving my official duties in return for a campaign contribution. But if I arrive home late at night or at a hotel in Chicago at midnight and there are twenty phone calls waiting, nineteen of them from people whose names I do not recognize, the twentieth from someone who gave me a $1,000 campaign contribution, at midnight I will not make twenty phone calls, but I might make one. Which one will I make?”

I believe I know the answer to that question, and so do you. Many candidates must raise millions of dollars in order to be elected. It takes a lot of time to raise that much money. Lobyists often help candidates by sponsoring $100 or more per plate dinners, or working on some other type of fundraiser.

The poor don’t attend $100 a plate dinners. The poor don’t hire lobyists to protect their interests. The poor don’t make $1,000 campaign contributions so that their candidate will return their phone calls.

If congress were to decide to add a billion dollars to defense spending and cut a billion dollars from programs that aid the poor in third world countries who would represent the poor in the debate? Rest assured that defense contractors hire lobyists, attend $100 per a plate dinners and make campaign contributions. Who do the poor have in their corner?

One organization that works on behalf of the poor is called, “Bread for the World”. They have a web site located at www.bread.org. Here is a statement that I found there: “Bread for the World is a nationwide Christian citizens movement seeking justice for the world's hungry people by lobbying our nation's decision makers. BFW Institute seeks justice for hungry people by engaging in research and education on policies related to hunger and development”.

Elected officials don’t get huge campaign contributions from Bread for the World. What they get is stacks of mail from people like us. I have written letters on behalf of the poor at the suggestion of Bread for the World. I hope many of you will do the same. I encourage you to go to their web site and ask them to send you a twelve page booklet that tells you practical things you can do to help them convince elected officials to fight hunger in the world. If you don’t have a computer or aren’t on the internet, you can call or write to them. Here is their address and phone number:

Please ask for the booklet, and when you get it let me know what you are going to do to fight for those without lobbyists, who don’t attend $100 a plate dinners and who don’t make large campaign contributions.

May God bless each and every one of you.

Sincerely,

Pastor Birk