Stand on political financing

By David J. Rizzo

A member of congress's job is to BRING money (in the form of benefits) to his or her constituents -- not to TAKE money from them.

Do we want the best congress that money can buy, or do we want dedicated individuals who are only beholding to individual voters? More than 100,000 registered voters live in the 44th District. How can a representative fairly represent them all if money is accepted from a select few? By not accepting contributions I can treat an average homeowner with the same respect as the head of a corporation or labor union.

Can a Member of Congress be elected without a large campaign budget? I believe the answer is yes. By demonstrating a hard-work ethic by attempting to contact every single voter at his or her home, I am willing to earn my way into Congress, not purchase it. In fact, the ability to become elected on a limited budget should stand as a testimony to run a government on a shoestring budget. As a fiscally-responsible Republican, I believe that the conservation of resources should include campaign finances.