Prove it!

Dear Hillary (and news media), Bernie keeps talking about your ties to Wall Street and I can imagine that that can be a bit frustrating. Several times your response has been to challenge anyone to show that contributions from banks and wealthy contributors have affected your vote. Recently a reporter has repeated that challenge as a question to Bernie. However, I think you both have missed the point. Think about it. If I get stopped for speeding (just hypothetical, not saying that I actually would break the law, you know), and I hand him a 50 to give to the Fraternal Order of Police for me, both of us would be at risk of getting arrested if found out. We might say that there was no proof that my contribution affected his treatment of my alleged speeding, but as you know very well, that wouldn't work. You see, the whole point of the questions about influence is not just whether someone can prove that you actually did any favors for them. The point is that the current campaign fundraising system that requires you and other candidates raise such obscene amounts of money puts you (and us) all at risk. You see, it's not really even about some overt favor. When someone does something really generous for you, it's hard to not lean toward them in some way and even if you try not to, it just happens. You're not the only one with that problem, but it doesn't help to just paper it over and put out a challenge for proof of an offense. You can say that you have studiously avoided being influenced, but don't treat the issue so flippantly and with disdain. We know the saying, "you are what you eat," and maybe you are also what donations you take. It's certainly more than just a possibility that politicians are influenced by who is paying the bills for getting them elected, sometimes in such subtle ways that they don't even realize. It's a legitimate question and points out a serious problem in our current campaign finance system. You could even use it as a point to bring up the issue as something that we all need to deal with. But, please don't feign indignation. You went for those donations. Did you really think that no one would ask what they thought they were buying?