Letters from two very different parts of the country over the weekend in support of full public financing of campaigns. After the jump, letters to the editor in the Des Moines Register and the New York Times about Clean Elections efforts going forward in the states.

From Judy Lonning in the Register.

When the governor vacations at a residence owned by his largest donor, people wonder. As long as our political campaigns are funded with private money, there will continue to be questions about the influence of that money on our officeholders. The Register's April 10 article "Culver Vacations at Donor's Condo" is but one example.


Big money is choking democracy to death. All the issues that we care about, from health care to the environment, are affected by it. Our system of privately financed campaigns has shut regular people out of meaningful participation in democracy.


Voter Owned Iowa Clean Elections (VOICE) provides a system of public-campaign financing that would give government back to everyday Iowans.


With passage of the VOICE bill, we wouldn't have to wonder what big contributors are buying with their money.

Judy Lonning
Des Moines

And from Pamela Bennett of Citizen Action of New York in the Times:

To the Editor:


Re “How to Vent About Albany” (editorial, April 12):


I was glad to see that you do not believe in term limits and do believe that fundamental reform is needed in Albany.


I’m not in favor of term limits because there are outstanding reform-minded legislators working hard in Albany everyday. It was surprising that you singled out two such legislators — Assemblyman Richard N. Gottfried and Assemblywoman Deborah J. Glick — as being in need of a challenge.


They are enthusiastic supporters of Clean Elections, the movement to have full public financing for elections. This is the best way for candidates to show that they are running with strong support from voters in their district instead of relying on big donors or special interests.


Pamela Bennett
Director, Citizen Action of New York Cit