RE: Restricting Individual Contributions is an Infringement of the First Amendment

[Sarah McUmber-House <mcuhouse@nemonet.com>]

The First Amendment to The Constitution of The United States of America reads:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

The *interpretations* of this to put political contributions, especially exhorbitant ones, forth as expressions of free speech are stretching the definitions of both "free" and "speech", and precisely why there is sooo much controversy on the idea. Just as with the question of un-asked-for in-home-delivery of pornography is inaccurately protected by some interpretations of "free speech", so is the act of buying poitical favor.  

When those who can afford to pay to protect their questionable practices are no longer allowed to do so, but relegated to the same representation as those of us with no money to spare, we will have equal representation, and a lot less publically funded corruption.