To the editor:

On Tuesday, Feb. 5, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert scheduled the Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform bill for a floor vote the next week. According to an article in the New York Times the next day, the short notice was aimed at minimizing the time for grass-roots lobbying. The story should have been covered in the Lawrence Journal-World to let readers know of this upcoming historic vote.

Campaign finance reform is an important key to improving the processes of government in Washington. Until the corrupting influence of money in national politics is reduced, issues like gun control, military spending, environmental policy and energy policy will conform less to the popular will and more to the wishes of the likes of the National Rifle Assn., weapons manufacturers, the automobile lobby and Enron. The outcome of the drive for campaign finance reform will have serious consequences for both the democratic and representative strains in American government.

Congressional opponents of reform claim that they do not vote according to the contributions they receive. That claim misses the point. The influence of money is far more pervasive than they admit. Money determines who can afford to run for office and influences who is likely to win, what issues will be raised, who has access to elected officials, what positions elected officials dare to take a public stance on, and yes, sometimes how they vote. And it certainly influences public opinion.

For a quarter of a century Americans have been calling for reform of the abuses revealed by Watergate. The vote in the House is too important a story to be ignored.

Paul Fairchild

Lawrence