Dear Editor:
To ask why anyone needs more political cynicism is to ask why is there a big political focus on John Ashcroft’s media motivated racial profiling of Missouri Judge Ronnie White and other similar shady ploys of his, since such things raise questions about abuse of the law.
To ask why Clinton’s pardon of Marc Rich for campaign contributions is more important than, if you really think about it, the pardon of former go-go dancer Susan McDougal of Whitewater fame ignores a worst case scenario legally, since her pardon can be called a reward, a bribe, a pay-off for not testifying in the Whitewater investigation, something that had little or nothing to do with politics, but lot to do with financial mismanagement, fraud, dishonesty, personal enrichment at the public’s expense and other questionable activities, but don’t ask why politicians are scheming.
To ask what lies behind the “alleged” reform activities calling for soft money limits since what politicians do for $250,000 they will have to do five times more for five times as many people at $50,000 per in order to raise that $250,000 that they must have, is to ask for more cynicism.
Through the Ashcroft public relations and the handling, thus far, of the new Clinton investigation, politicians are saying this sort of this is acceptable to them and they will do it again.
Why? Well, politicians have power and know how to abuse it. They are very cynical people. They can and do negotiate the laws as they please. By talking about power they mean they look on themselves as satraps operating for their own benefit. Politicians are excellent at non-constructive harassment as Judge White’s experience proves.
There is no public or private accountability even when the issue is clearly raised in public.
This sort of thing does not embarrass Washington politicians. Nothing embarrasses Washington politics.
In New York City, we had term limits. Now the local politicians have discovered the golden jag is up. Their cozy deal is over. They intend to become permanent owners of public office. They are even getting a lot of their family in.
These are people who know how to squeeze the golden calf for what it’s worth. They’re in New York. $8,000,000 for Hillary. $3,000,000 for Rudy. Hey, it is no wonder cynicism abounds.
Neil Levine