I am writing to express my strong support for yes on Question 1, which would limit individual contributions to Super PACs that spend money in support of or in opposition to political candidates to $5,000. This is a reasonable and necessary measure to protect the integrity of our elections here in Maine.
The U.S. Supreme Court has previously upheld limits on direct contributions to candidates to prevent the appearance or reality of quid pro quo corruption. The same principle should apply to Super PACs. These organizations, often funded by a small number of wealthy individuals, have the power to flood our elections with money, distorting the democratic process and drowning out the voices of ordinary Mainers.
Without this limit, out-of-state billionaires can pour unlimited amounts of money into our elections, effectively buying influence and undermining the will of the people. Maine’s elections should be decided by the people of Maine, not by a handful of wealthy donors with their own agendas.
By voting yes on Question 1, we can take a stand against the overwhelming influence of money in politics and ensure that the voices of regular Mainers are heard. Let’s protect our democracy and keep Maine elections fair. Please join me in voting yes on Question 1.
Tobias Parkhurst
Augusta
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Join the Conversation
We believe it’s important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It’s a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others. Read more...
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
For those stories that we do enable discussion, our system may hold up comments pending the approval of a moderator for several reasons, including possible violation of our guidelines. As the Maine Trust’s digital team reviews these comments, we ask for patience.
Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday and limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve.
By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is found on our FAQs.
You can modify your screen name here.
Show less
Join the Conversation
Please sign into your CentralMaine.com account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe. Questions? Please see our FAQs.