The business community has failed to act on a fundamental given: a healthy political system is essential to a healthy economic system. A competitive economic system requires a competitive political system. Good citizens -motivated and informed -make effective leadership possible.
Its ingredients require ending the escalating arms race among PACs in congressional races by reducing the amoung legislators may accept from PACs; by making small individual contributions count by matching them with the voluntary tax check off; disclosing direct and indirect lobbying expenses; and systematically reviewing our subsidy system by review spending, regulatory and tax preferences.
We all know that confidence in and respect for our public institutions has tumbled so low that it is adversely affecting all of our institutionspublic and private. No major institution is exempt from the decline in trust.
The loss of confidence comes from the heart of the population. There is nothing radical, fringe or extreme about it. It comes from the vast number of voters whose choice is increas-
David Cohen, president of the Social Development
Corporation, a non-profit organization, served as president of Common Cause 1975-i981, and is an outstanding champion of human rights, including civil rights, consumer and urban affairs, and anti-poverty issues.