RESPONSE - Barkley

Dean M Barkley (barkley@Free-Net.Mpls-StPaul.MN.US)
Wed, 2 Nov 1994 07:20:06 -0600 (CST) 

QUESTION #2:  People are saying Congress is broken;  our government isn't
working.  Do you agree?  In general terms, explain why or why not.

Response from Dean Barkley:

Yes I agree.  This is not to say government isn't working at all but if
we let things go, irresponsible officials will spend our nation into
bankruptcy and destroy our democracy.

The 1994 health care debate is instructive.  Our elected officials debated
health care for months receiving millions in contributions from special
interests seeking to influence the outcome.  Then Congress decided nothing.
Why should they?  Next year they can do it again for even more money.

Two conditions contribute to our present Congressional ills.  One is 
unfair election laws that protect the two major parties.  The other is
our Congresspersons have grown overly dependent on PAC contributions
and major party soft money for their campaign financing.

Unfair election laws are designed to keep candidates like me from
giving the Democrats and Republicans any real competition.  And with
little competition, why should they care what the people think?  Some
believe third parties don't work.  The truth is current law makes it
nearly illegal for them to work.

But this year is different.  People are more willing to vote for third
party candidates.  Ross Perot blazed the trail in 1992 and I'm coming on
strong in 1994.  Independence Party activists have moved mountains to
get me this far and the results are beginning to show.  I am rising in
the polls, endorsements are coming in and I am hot in several media 
markets.  While it would be one heck of an upset, the potential is truly
there for a Barkley victory.

Regarding the big money now financing Democrat and Republican campaigns,
this money shifts Congresssional loyalty from the people and public
interest to political parties and special interests.  And they have no
incentive to change.

As long as both major parties do the same thing, neither needs involved
citizens to win elections.  One needs only to paint the other as the 
worst choice (just as Grams and Wynia are doing today).  The unfortunate
result is naked partisanship, an out-of-touch Congress that caters to
special interests, and negative advertising that has convinced the public
no political leader can be trusted.  This discourages positive citizen
involvement, the very core of our democracy.  This is why our government
isn't working.

Reform can only come from the outside, which is why you should do 
everything you can to help elect Dean Barkley to the U.S. Senate.  Call
612-939-6601 to volunteer, send money to "Barkley Volunteer Committee",
PO Box 125, Hamel, MN 55340 (contributions are not deductible as
charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes).

As your Senator, I can work to provide equal ballot access for all
candidates and publicly financed campaigns.  Additionally, one of my
personal strengths is my proven ability to bridge the gap between
Democrat, Republican and independent moderates and form effective
leadership coalitions.  As a third-party moderate senator, I can provide
the common ground leadership the two parties need to rise above their
debilitating partisan acrimony that is bringing our Congress to its knees.


Dean Barkley
Independence Party Candidate for Senate