Editor,

I am glad the South Whidbey Record published Elizabeth George’s viewpoint on Sen. Bernie Sanders as a candidate for president of the United States. It is important for citizens to have a public forum to debate the merits and weaknesses of our limited choices in elections at the state and federal levels.

The unlimited and anonymous money that Congress has now allowed to enter our election process has fostered an election system that relies heavily, if not completely on funding by corporate interests and the extremely wealthy. Even Donald Trump supporters know and respond to his statements that most candidates are “bought and paid for.” Hillary Clinton is no exception, with a $50 million superpac and over 77 percent of her direct campaign contributors coming from large donors, just the opposite of Mr. Sanders whose campaign is funded 70 percent by small donors (www.opensecrets.org/pres16/candidate.php?id=N00000528) and no superpac.

I find it hard to understand how Ms. George or others believe that someone other than Mr. Sanders will be more honest and get more citizen support in addressing the critical issues of our communities and planet when the rest of the field is beholden to the super wealthy and powerful special interests. These special interests now directly write our legislation or threaten to withhold campaign contributions if legislators do not come up with something positive for them “on their own” — note the recent Monsanto protection acts in Congress. So far their takeover of our government is nearly complete.

Luckily a revolution is already underway — hundreds of thousands across the nation are fighting for an amendment that will overturn Citizens United. We will have an opportunity (I-735) in November to become the 17th state to call for such an amendment. If we do not motivate voters to reject special interest control and turn out to vote this November for someone who has consistently tried to help the working class, there will be no one left like Mr. Sanders to vote for within the existing system. Our only alternative will be to take to the streets and find a different kind of revolution to get our voices heard. This same sentiment was expressed frequently as I collected signatures for I-735 from democrats, independents and republicans.

KIM JORDAN

Clinton