The System is Flawed.

I’m trying out some ideas on how to improve the political process in this country.

Something really has to be done about all these PACs (Political Action Committees). They contribute heavily to many key members of Congress, but are not required to reveal the names of the people who give them money.

OK . . . here’s a hypothetical for you to think about: 

Senator Joe Smith chairs a committee that’s investigating a huge price increase for a prescription drug that helps heart patients. 

But Senator Smith is up for re-election and the TV stations in his district are about to start airing a television spot that falsely accuses him of being stopped several times for drunk driving. (The truth: He was randomly stopped once and given a breath-o-lizer test, which he passed with no problem.)

Under the current law, we don’t know and are prohibited from finding out that the pharmaceutical company making that heart pill helps bankroll the PAC that’s running those anti-Smith TV commercials.

So what do you think? Should the law be changed so the  names of contributors to these political action committees can be made public?

I think so, too . . . but the PACs contribute heavily to the re-election campaigns of the members of Congress who are on the committees that write the rules for the PACs.

And if Senator Smith rejects the PAC money as a matter of principle, his opponent will gladly take it.