Clean campaigns in Arizona
Re: “Donor-Free Democracy“
9/6/01

As an Arizona political activist, I have worked firsthand with Clean Elections … “liberating” is the word! I have worked on congressional campaigns where all the candidates’ time was spent on the phone begging for money or making brief appearances at multiple fundraisers. Last year I ran a campaign for a legislative candidate who ran “clean” and it was the most enjoyable campaign I have been involved in.

The candidate was able to go to coffees and receptions and actually spend time meeting and talking with voters. The hardest part was collecting the qualifying donations because the voters (who are notorious for having short memories) forgot they voted for the law in 1998.

This year the Clean Elections Institute (a private entity formed to help candidates use the Clean Elections Law) is doing a bang-up job of educating the voters about what Clean Elections mean. It should be much easier this time around.

This last seven months should have taught us that change is needed, at the local, state, and national levels, even at the cost of higher taxes. Taxpayer money has surely been spent on many less worthy projects.

Lezlie Cox
Fountain Hills, Ariz.

What’s worse for the earth?
Re: “Burning Questions“
09/06/01

If you think Burning Man is nothing more than a hedonistic drug fest, why not report on the beer guzzling, often-violent fans attending football games all across the country? And how eco-sensitive are stadiums and parking lots?

Peter McKenna

Mexico-bound
Re: “Reservations on the Nuclear Train“
9/6/01

Just as we ship toxic waste from California factories to Mexico, we will do the same with nuclear waste. Under our new handy-dandy trade agreement, Mexico is obliged to allow us to dump whatever we want to.

Cathryn Baillie