LETTERS: BAN NEEDED ON SOFT CAMPAIGN MONEY

To the editor:

I recently became aware of a situation in the Senate that should be brought to the attention of all Missourians. We elected Sen. Kit Bond to represent us in the Senate of the United States, and I believe that he has, in most cases, done very well. As they say, no one can please or fool all of the people all of the time.

I am referring to his filibuster that is stopping the nonpartisan Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform bill, which would ban soft money in our national elections. This bill is supported by 52 members -- a majority -- of the Senate, but there aren't enough votes to override the filibuster supported by Bond. Soft money is money that is contributed by special interests to political parties for issue advocacy. It cannot legally be used to support any particular individual. In real life, however, it is constantly being used for just that: direct support for a particular candidate, which is, of course, obligating that person to that particular contributor's cause.

What this bill would do is prevent special-interest groups such as large corporations, super-rich individuals, the labor unions and the tobacco lobby from skirting the law and making huge contributions to buy the votes of political candidates. By the year 2000, soft-money contributions are expected to reach $750 million, more than enough to buy any election you desire.

I have heard the old story that the contributions are not given to a particular party or individual to influence votes, but rather because the contributors liked that person's position on a particular subject. The tooth fairy comes to mind about now.

The Shays-Meehan bill does one thing: It closes most of the loopholes in the existing federal laws and creates a more level playing field to ensure that all campaign ads are treated as campaign ads.

LARRY HODGE

Cape Girardeau