Entitlement programs for W.Va. politicians
by admin on 05/03/10 at 5:34 am
Charleston Daily Mail
March 5, 2010
THE House of Delegates wants to tax legal procedures – including divorces – to pay for the political campaigns of the state’s judicial candidates.
That’s almost laughable.
West Virginia citizens should not be required, through their taxes – or in this case, court “fees” – to fund the political campaigns of people they do not support.
That is the trouble with all schemes to require the public to finance political campaigns. Such schemes, pursued as “reform” of the current system, create a worse system – entitlement programs for politicians.
That’s the last thing West Virginians need.
The presidential public financing system failed because major candidates had no intention of abiding by spending limits in primary elections. In 2008, Barack Obama raised so much money that he was able to forego public financing in the general election as well.
That defeated the stated purpose.
At the same time, many minor candidates over the years raked in millions. The worst example was Lyndon LaRouche, who received federal public campaign financing while in prison in 1992.
