New House Speaker Dennis Hastert has taken a position whose likely effect, if it prevails, will be to kill campaign finance reform in this Congress. That's so even though the Congress has barely begun. The House passed a strong campaign finance reform bill last year. The vote of 252 to 179 was an extraordinary parliamentary event. A majority that included 61 Republicans had to seize control of the House to record its approval over the opposition of Hastert's predecessor, Newt Gingrich, and the rest of the Republican leadership.
Poor places remain poor because people work on the wrong things.
They spend extraordinary efforts on activities that simply reinforce their poverty. The Herald-Leader welcomes letters on topics of public interest. Any exceptions will be made at the discretion of the editors. We reserve the right to edit all letters submitted for brevity, content and clarity. Original, not copies or form letters.