Campaign messages from special interest groups are disturbing

Do the campaign messages from special interest groups disturb anyone else? These messages usually end with “paid for by” a combination of words: citizens, justice, America, people, freedom, families, future, etc. Who are these people?

These creations come from political producers who are well paid to design messages to hurt some candidates, and thereby help others. While speech may be free in this country, broadcast time is not! Who pays for this? Lobbyists representing businesses and associations, corporations and some very wealthy people who can afford to spend millions to influence elections. A broader source is donations by average citizens after receiving mailings that challenge them to be a patriot with their checkbook or live in a country/society that is out of control!

Unfortunately, we rarely know who sponsors these groups. They are not required to disclose their supporters. The result: The messages have a low threshold for truth (because they are opinions!) and the sources of these opinions rarely have to take responsibility for them.

I take comfort knowing that, in a farm state, all Iowa residents are familiar with fertilizer. It arrived early for next spring, but this fertilizer was never intended for farmland, only Iowans. It is hazardous!

Robert Hamill

Cedar Rapids