Letters: Opinion piece oversimplifies money’s political impact

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.

Piece oversimplifies money’s political impact

Re: “Money does not corrupt our political system” (Page A7, July 23).

David Drucker writes, “Simply put, voters tend to believe politicians would do the ‘right thing’ … if not for money and its influence on their positions.” In other words, money is the only thing that corrupts.

“Simply put” is quite correct; it’s a gross over-simplification. Consider the idea that power does not corrupt; rather, it attracts the corruptible. Likewise, money attracts the greedy. Money does not need to be the only thing that corrupts, just the largest, and the more money, the easier it is for it to be the largest.

The entire piece, I believe, stems from a flawed premise. I submit that without the means for billionaires to buy candidates, we would have better candidates.

William Gascoyne
San Jose

Money boosts hopefuls, paves way to access

Re: “Money does not corrupt our political system” (Page A7, July 23).

David Drucker makes a valid point that campaign contributions usually reinforce politicians’ existing beliefs rather than changing them. But that’s not why so many Americans are concerned about money in politics.

Money influences who can afford to run, which candidates remain viable, who gains access once elected and which issues receive the greatest attention. None of that requires anyone to change a single vote in exchange for a contribution.

Drucker also understates the relationship between campaign spending and electoral success. While money often follows strong candidates, it also amplifies their visibility and helps determine who voters seriously consider.

By focusing almost exclusively on whether donations buy votes, the column leaves readers with the impression that concerns about money in politics are largely misplaced. That’s a conclusion far broader than the evidence supports — and one we should be cautious about embracing.

Rick Rafey
Santa Clara

Weakening CEQA will silence climate talk

Re: “Poll points to strong Prop. 45 backing” (Page A1, July 16).

At the end of the day, we cannot address problems that we do not discuss. Proposition 45 is an attempt to stop discussion currently allowed under CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) of environmental issues.

Proposition 45 is backed by builders, industry and business groups who may not want public oversight of their developments and might seek to weaken environmental protection standards.

Proposition 45 could undermine CEQA and ignore environmental destruction, claiming that this will improve livability in the state. But better decisions involve conversation and advocacy between voters, corporations and government, not canceling our environmental laws.

It is vital to keep laws regarding our collective impact on the environment as robust as possible. Voters in this state have a long track record of supporting and protecting nature. We will see this proposition for what it is — a whitewash attempt to lower standards for developers.

Tina Peak
Palo Alto

The war against Iran is one huge grift

Re: “U.S. strikes Iran for 11th night, as diplomacy is overshadowed” (Page A4, July 22).

You can bet all of the military-industrial complex is rejoicing at continued U.S. strikes against Iran, just as they did during the initial, apparently illegal and unconstitutional strike that started the war. The MIC are grifters, and they have no objection to having funds taken from ordinary Americans and shunted into their profit-oriented corporations. With such profits, they can reward their executives with higher pay as well as reward profit-seeking investors.

Oh, by the way, since there are no current funds to pay for this war, the U.S. will have to borrow the required funds and thus pass onto future generations the onus of paying off this national debt.

War is a win-win for the military-industrial complex, and I bet this war was planned as a huge grift.

Larry Dorshkind
Redwood City

Vietnam War dead owed honest remembrance

Back when I graduated from Palo Alto’s Cubberley High School in 1966, approximately 6,000 Americans had been killed in Vietnam. When the war officially ended nine years later, the death toll had reached 58,220.

On Thursday, Donald Trump claimed that “more than 200,000” troops had been killed in Vietnam. Inflating the actual number in order to bolster his narrative on Iran does a profound disservice to the men and women who gave their lives for this country more than half a century ago in Southeast Asia.

Before speaking again about Vietnam, Mr. President, do your homework. Better yet, visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Read the names etched into that black granite wall. Every one of them represents a life, a family and a sacrifice. They deserve to be remembered with honesty and integrity, not exaggerated for your political purposes.

Denny Freidenrich
Laguna Beach