Let’s get a title misconception out of the way immediately - I’m not being sarcastic towards Judy Baar Topinka. What I think is worth pointing out from last night’s Republican gubernatorial post-debate, where Judy pointed out she is the only non-millionaire in the GOP primary, is that in Illinois and nationwide we have increasingly moved towards a system where in order to run for public office you must either be corrupt (to pocket the necessary money) or super-wealthy - a system where your material wealth is equated with your public morality - and lacking wealth politicians increasingly seem to lack ethics. We’re losing a huge number of public spirited people - and undoubtedly some great public servants.
We need public financing of elections.
Nobody, of any party, should fail to run for public office, or fail to succeed, solely because they lack a penchant for corruption or are not personally wealthy enough to avoid it and maintain political viability. The current system robs the public of some of the very people we need in office - and it is our loss.
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