Letter: Rid politics of big-money donations

You'll need a lot of money to live on this block. Credit: iStock
Lisa Tyson’s Nov. 23 op-ed, “The ‘Long Island Nine’ are vulnerable” [Opinion], serves as a cogent analysis of how to make the elections of 2016 a banner year for Democrats. As a Nassau County resident, I would find it refreshing to see programs that serve the public interest, and not just self-interested politicians and their cronies.
Every day we witness the systemic corruption in Albany politics. Powerful leaders like former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) and former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) exemplify the quid pro quo politics that flow from the rich to the well-connected.
The voices that have sway in the political arena all share one thing in common: big money contributions. Remove the money, remove the influence. Campaign finance reform would give all citizens an even playing field.
Eileen Clarke, Great Neck