I have always been proud of how Maine manages elections, but I agree with your editorial (“Our View: Maine’s pragmatic tradition hurt by election ruling,” April 4) that the latest U.S. Supreme Court decision poses a big threat.

The effects of Citizens United are bad enough. More out-of-state money with less transparency than ever. More money flowing through political action committees than to candidates, decreasing accountability.

Now, with the court’s ruling in McCutcheon v. FEC, wealthy donors from coast to coast can max out to any and all candidates without limit. It’s hard to believe just how wrong this court is when it comes to the realities of America’s political system. Flooding the system with more money from the wealthiest of the wealthy is exactly the wrong prescription for what ails us.

Maine’s Clean Election system remains a bright spot. Maine people have got to step up to preserve it, to make it stronger, to support it and to encourage every candidate for state office to use it.

As I do every year, I will check the Clean Election box on my Maine income tax form and do my part to make this important law work.

Lucas Desmond

Portland

 

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