Letter to the Editor: Vote Yes on Measure 1

Why would you oppose ending government corruption?

We are all fed up with money in politics. Measure 1 takes it out. No more money in our state politics, period. State Senators, State Representatives, all statewide elected officials and state government employees and state will be barred from taking gifts from lobbyists and campaign cash from those they regulate. Legal bribery will finally be over.

People say they oppose the measure because it requires individuals spending money on attack ads and special interest lobbying to report expenditures over $200. There is an imagined possibility that citizens driving to testify in Bismarck might be required to fill out a form indicating their expenses. I say “imagined,” because it will be up to the legislature to determine how to handle that issue.

The reason to require reporting political expenses is that out-of-state individuals spending secret millions on mud-slinging attack ads and mailers will have to put their names to them.

A vote for Measure 1 is a vote to get rid of negative political ads on both sides of the aisle, end political bribery and set an example for the rest of the country. I hope you will join me in voting yes on Measure 1.

Carol Rogne, Fargo, N.D.