"Money is the mothers milk of politics." So said Jesse Unruh, the legendary California politician. He also said, "If you can't take their money, drink their booze and vote against them you are not a man." (That quote has been edited for publication in a family newspaper.) Well don't count on that degree of independence. The winner of a recent election for a seat in the Florida Senate collected $755,000 in campaign contributions. Few voters knew where all that money came from. One presidential candidate reported $32,500,000 in contributions in the past three months. The election is sixteen months away. How much more money will roll in? There are big contributors and small contributors. A $100 contribution gets one a thank you letter. A $100,000 contribution gets one an invitation to the White House. Then there is the big money! Corporations, labor unions and advocacy associations contribute the big money. Whether it comes from Exxon-Mobil, the United Auto Workers or the National Rifle Association, those folks get results because they remember what they got the next time an election rolls around. U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell and numerous political colleagues went to prison, and President Nixon resigned in disgrace after the 1970's Watergate scandal that was financed with corporate contributions. Campaign contribution legislation, written by incumbents, left lots of loopholes. Political Action Committees popped up in corporations and unions. We will always have lobbyists, ads promoting political issues and politicians accepting contributions. There are laws requiring identification of those who give money to influence legislation. It is up to the voters to know where the contributions come from. Look for the fine print that identifies who pays for the T-V and newspaper ads. Then try to determine if "Energy Freedom for America" ads are really paid for by "Imperial Petroleum Association." "Health Care for Our Children" –Who are those guys? The U.S. Supreme Court has reduced restrictions on "issue ads." Freedom of speech is great, but let's know who is speaking. Just as important, who is paying for the advertisements and what do they expect to gain? | 