Letter: Limit campaign cash to constituents
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, left, Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (March 30, 2012) Credit: AP
In "NYers can wrest Albany from fat cats" [Opinion, April 23], Marc N. Weiss' statement, "when your election prospects depend on collecting huge sums from special interests, it makes sense that your donors' voices will ring louder and clearer than others," contradicts his other assertion that "Most of New York's elected officials are honest, thoughtful people."
In our age of cynicism, most agree that money buys elections. If money buys elections and that is the reason, as Weiss says, "regular voters feel disconnected from the process," then I conclude the election system is flawed. The system may not outright deny voting, but it effectively impedes the rights of citizens.
New York has laws regulating campaign contribution limits that far exceed the ability of most citizens to contribute. Every time a firm from New Jersey or a person from Westchester makes a campaign contribution to my Long Island representative, that contribution reduces the impact of my vote.
The system violates my constitutional right to full and equal benefit of the law. With outside contributions in play, I cannot be fairly represented anywhere.
I recommend that only registered voters within an election district be permitted to make limited contributions to a candidate.
John Condon, Huntington Station
