Dear Mr. President,
I write this letter to you out of frustration and disappointment; but, I also write it out of hope. You have an opportunity, Mr. President. You have an opportunity to bring about the change that you so passionately defend as characteristically American, the same change that you championed and promised before your election as President of the United States.
I have lived in this country my entire life and I have seen and experienced the chaos that has become so ingrained in the American political system. I have heard my grandparents speak of times when politics and , more specifically, politicking were conducted with more honor… with more deference to the values that this country was founded upon – a time when the everyday American was more than just an afterthought in the mind of a recently elected government official. The reelection rat-race has torn our politicians away from the voices of the American public and towards interests groups, exploratory committees, and corporate fundraisers. You, too, Mr. President have fallen into this way of conducting reelection campaigns. Recently, you announced your bid for reelection as President of the United States. This announcement also carried with it an intended goal of $1 billion in campaign funds. I know that reports have set that number a bit lower, and some reports have set that number ever higher still. The amount is inconsequential. Do you realize that such an amount of money is incomprehensible to the majority of Americans? There are roughly 400 billionaires in the United States – that’s less than a fraction of 1% of all Americans. $1 billion dollars could house 2,857 American families and build 77 3-story hospitals. So, my question, Mr. President, is why do you need $1 billion dollars to run a reelection campaign?
I am angry with you Mr. President, very angry. But, the only thing I am more conscious of is my disappointment. I believed in you and your message of change… not that I necessarily no longer do. You simply need to understand that my faith in you as our President has been shaken and my understanding of your message and its meaning is changing in very profound, fundamental ways. The thought of you spending 1$ billion on television, radio, internet, and print advertising sickens me, especially considering the financial difficulties that most Americans continue to feel as they are trying to dig themselves out of the “Great Recession” of the last several years. I understand that reelection campaigns cost money, Mr. President, I do. But, why does it have to cost $1 billion? To me, your announcement of this intended fundraising goal is indicative of the severe lack of attention that Americans – and that is an all-inclusive term – pay to how much money is spent on political campaigns. Americans have become complacent about politics, and so have American politicians. The simple fact is this: Too much money is spent on political campaigns, and your finance goal is indicative of this.
I am aware that major campaign finance reform has been taking place in this country since the 1970s. I ask, then, why is it that every election cycle more money is being spent on campaigns than in the previous cycle? It seems major campaign finance reform has been ineffective. Or has it? Perhaps these reforms do not seek to limit the amount of money that is spent on campaigns; but, instead, make it easier for money to be drawn in and retained. That is a mistake and an affront to the everyday American because it assumes that if you simply throw a bunch of advertisements at the American public they will see the carefully designed layout, the painstakingly thought-out slogan and march to the poles, ultimately putting a little black check mark next to your name. The sad thing is, that this is true; but, that doesn’t make it right Mr. President.
We, as a country and a people, so often assume that simply because the world looks to us to set certain international norms, we do not need to be introspective about the values we espouse or the methods we condone. This assumption has led us to give ourselves a “free pass.” What I mean is that we believe our morals cannot be judged, that our way of doing things is not open to question. Do you realize, Mr. President, that we are the only democracy in the world that spends so much money on political campaigns? Do you realize that our democracy has one of the most unregulated campaign systems in the world? We could learn a thing or two from European systems of campaign finance and campaign finance reform.
This brings me to the opportunity that I spoke of earlier. You have an opportunity to change the way campaign financing is done in this country… and not only the way it is done but also the way it is thought about. Your opportunity comes in the form of a challenge from me, a lowly ol’ college student in North Dakota: I challenge you to make campaign finance reform a priority should you be reelected, and I also challenge you to cap your intended campaign fundraising goal at $250 million (which I still believe to be quite high; but, it is a start). This is an opportunity that I hope you take, Mr. President. You’ve made me think that change is possible… now make me believe it’s possible.
Sincerely,
Jonathan S. Hamlin
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