Campaign-finance problems and possible solutions
Re: “Campaign finance deserves scrutiny,” July 6 editorial.
Thanks for addressing what I believe is the most urgent, fundamental problem that our political system must resolve. As things now stand, the true “constituency” of candidates and elected officials is not the voting citizenry, but the donors to their campaigns. To be truly represented, one must pay to play.
To fix this perversion, we must go back to the fundamental reason why the “torrents of cash” you described are required for someone to get elected. To me, the answer is obvious: the need to compete in media advertising and promotion, particularly the purchasing of television ads.
Based on financial results, the over-the-air media industry does quite well under license by the government, a license which also requires “service of the public good.” We the people should insist that the definition of the “public good” include the requirement that political campaign advertising be provided at no cost in equal amounts to qualified candidates, and otherwise prohibited.
Drew Reimer, Westminster
…
In its editorial, The Denver Post frets over the amount of money spent on modern campaigns and suggests that government-financed elections should be considered as a possible “solution” to the “problem.” It is a common misconception to think that government-financed elections will result in “better” government. In fact, the result is often just the opposite.
Studies reveal that government-financed elections do not lead to more competitive elections and do not result in increased citizen participation in politics. You may be most surprised to learn that government-subsidized campaigns can actually decrease the public’s trust in government and that political spending has positive effects on perceptions of government. The only thing that government-financed elections accomplish is to divert tax money away from public programs and into the pockets of politicians.
Mike Schrimpf, Arlington, Va.
The writer is deputy communications director for the Center for Competitive Politics.
Conservation, not storage, key to water issue
Re: “Dirty snowpack worsens water ills,” July 1 editorial.
Sadly, your editorial seems to promote water storage as the solution to our water problems. Instead, we need a paradigm change. Colorado has a semi-arid climate and we all need to learn to live in concert with it if we want to maintain its natural resources and the statewide economies that are damaged by outmoded reservoir and transbasin water-movement solutions.
The reality is that, for most residents in Colorado, more than half of their water is applied to yards and lawns. Keeping large, water-sucking turf lawns is just plain irresponsible.
No, everyone doesn’t have to tear out all their bluegrass lawns and put in gravel. But those water-greedy 5,000- to 50,000-square-foot turf lawns must go. Kids can still play soccer at a grass soccer field and homes can look nice with small, sustainable lawns.
And there are water-conserving techniques that can reduce agricultural water use while maintaining a viable agricultural industry, though some will require changes to water law. Others, such as changing agricultural subsidies from more water-thirsty crops like corn (corn-based ethanol is a ripoff and doesn’t save oil) to more sustainable crops, are a matter of political will.
Let’s promote and follow smart water-use principles.
SeEtta Moss, Environmental Representative, Arkansas Basin Roundtable, Cañon City
What good is sending astronauts to Mars?
Re: “Race to space forgotten,” July 1 Dan Haley column.
Here’s hoping the race to space will continue to be forgotten.
President Bush’s initiative to build a space station on the moon as a base for a manned mission to Mars cannot be justified scientifically, economically or from the standpoint of astronaut safety. Thanks to advances in robotics and telemetry, we already have two rovers studying Mars – Spirit and Opportunity – which continue to work 24/7 at a fraction of the cost of a manned mission. They could use more help, but not the human variety. Even if a crew were able to survive the physical and psychological stress of a 12- to 18-month round trip to Mars, the probability is high that they would develop leukemia as a consequence of the intense environment of penetrating nuclear radiation in space.
Exploring our extraterrestial universe is a worthwhile goal. But rather than employing the expensive and outdated technology incumbent on human spaceflight, let’s use the most modern technology in an effort to duplicate the great successes of Spirit, Opportunity, Hubble, and a host of other unmanned probes of space.
Vic Viola, Golden
Denver Zoo’s plan for $52 million pachyderm park
Re: “Herd mentality; Denver Zoo plans 10-acre park to give elephants healthy habitat,” July 9 news story.
The Denver Zoo should allow its elephants to live out their lives in a sanctuary, as many other zoos are doing. The zoo’s plans for a new habitat still will not satisfy the complex needs of elephants and I hope the zoo directors will reconsider their plan. Do what is best for the animals.
Donna Toeroek, Arvada
Michael Moore’s “Sicko”
No matter what you think of Michael Moore, the strength of the movie “Sicko” is to bring out into the open the long-overdue discussion about our sick health care system. It shows that there are other possibilities in the world; we don’t have to stick with what we’ve got. Everyone should get involved and tell their legislators what they want. Please support H.R. 676 for national universal single-payer health care, as well as similar measures on the state level.
Vicki Rottman, Denver
Wondering about wonders
Re: “List of world’s wonders rewritten,” July 8 news story.
Having visited four of the new seven wonders, I might like to take a smug satisfaction in their selection. I don’t. Where is the Great Pyramid of Teotihuacan, Angkor Wat, Palenque, the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, or the trogoldyte dwellings of Cappodocia? The sites that made the cut are certainly wonderful, but the list sounds like it was made by people who have visited all the tourist routes and wanted to feel smug. If a wonder is the result of human creativity, passion and persistence, the Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota should have made the cut.
A. Lynn Buschhoff, Denver
Online extras
For more letters to the editor, go to blogs.denverpost.com/eletters
To send a letter to the editor
E-mail: openforum@denverpost.com (only straight text, not attachments)
Mail: The Open Forum, The Denver Post, 101 W. Colfax Ave., Suite 600, Denver, 80202; Fax: 303-954-1502
Guidelines: The Post welcomes letters up to 200 words on topics of general interest. Letters must include full name, home address and day and evening phone numbers. Letters may be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.
To reach us by phone: 303-954-1331
