Discussion of political financing and the sources thereof on a local (Seattle) radio station this morning:

Out-of-state political groups (characterizing themselves as "educational") have spent 26 times as much on the campaign to elect Dino Rossi, Republican candidate, to the Senate, than incumbent Senator Patty Murray (Democrat) has had available to her, despite an outpouring of contributions from a large number of working stiffs and other private citizens—such as myself.

A campaign chest 26 times as large as Patty Murray's.

And the content of these supposedly "educational" television commercials consists almost entirely of spurious attacks on Murray's record, and outright falsehoods.

Murray's backers fielded an ad exposing Rossi's source of financing, and Rossi countered by accusing Murray of "negative campaigning"—after he's been lying about her record for months! Sheer GALL!!

Dino Rossi ran twice before, for State Governor, against Christine Gregoire. He lost both attempts by a narrow margin both times despite his extremely negative and downright libelous campaigns against Gregoire (same as he's doing in trying to defeat Murray). But being a political campaign, libel laws don't seem to apply.

Thomas Jefferson said that the future of Democracy depends on a well-informed electorate. The Republicans are hell-bent on making certain that the electorate is anything but well informed!

Don Firth