Letter to the Editor: Can it compete against the dollar?

Value of your vote

Can it compete

against the dollar?

Editor, The Times:

Do you suppose Will Rogers might have had congressional earmarks in mind when he said, "We have the best Congress money can buy"?

Only a certified cynic would believe that our esteemed congressional members would ever think, even for a moment, that using their power and influence on behalf of wealthy constituents and their firms might possibly then result in very generous contributions to their campaign war chests. Why, perish the thought! ["The favor factory," Times special report, page one, Oct. 14.]

However, it does make me wonder how diligent congressional members would be in their altruistic justifications about pursuing earmarks to "help the local economy" if the recipients of said earmarks announced beforehand that not one dime in campaign contributions would be forthcoming.

My guess is that we'll never have a chance to find out. But as my grandfather was often heard to say, "The first interest of politicians is looking after the interests of politicians."

— Lee Fowble, Edmonds