Dear Editor:
I’ve been reading the events of few months regarding the Parsippany SuperPAC saga with a mix of amusement and sadness. 
Not quite sure how much of which. I’ve felt so often that I have quite a unique perspective on all of this. Why? Well – the reason that’s most important to me pertains to the issue of money in politics. From the time I first ran for office for what was dubbed by our Founding Fathers as “the People’s House” – US Congress – it was quite apparent to me what an ironic nickname that is for that legislative branch. Given the cost of what it takes to make a viable bid for membership in that the body as well as the typical sources you utilize to run for, and maintain your seat – it’s really far from anything that could rightly be called “the People’s House”.
Councilman Valori noted as quoted by Parsippany Focus “These Parsippany Super PACS are becoming a political cancer which must be stopped from spreading. [they’re] corrupting the foundation of honest government and it must stop now.” I could not wholeheartedly agree with him more – however I’ll do him one better – it’s a cancer on our entire democracy from sea to shining sea. A noted scholar once said that democracy will collapse when folks learn that they can vote themselves money. This gentleman overlooked the possibility that businesses might find a way to buy out our government first.
That’s why I stood in front of the town council six years ago and asked them to toughen up our Pay-to-Play laws (even though – as Cindy Forrest noted to me – the ordinance I presented didn’t go nearly far enough). I had just spent three years of my life trying to make a difference running for Congress and I saw how high the barrier was. Many people listened to my message and politely shook their heads – saying “you keep tilting at windmills Tom – we need idealists”. Of course when I was ignored by our Town Council, I took to the streets with a few other idealists, stood in front of convenience stores and supermarkets, talking to so many people who agreed and practically took the petition clip boards out of our hands to sign-up and support the idea. Presenting the petition back to the Council a few members “voted for it – before they were against it.” And of course just a few months later it was dismantled behind a pile of cynical excuses.
And my other unique take on all this? …. I know some of the SuperPAC players in question. In 2006 – when I first met the municipal chairs of Western Essex County – part of Congressional District 11 – I was sitting in the back room of Fairview Insurance not even knowing the owners. I met them later – along with a whole list of Democratic who’s-who of the “donor class”. I know what’s it’s like to ask for money to run for office. I know what it’s like to have someone write you a big check – then question yourself –“ what if this person wants something from me someday”? So naïve I was – right?
But that’s the democracy that we put up with, and so it’s the democracy we deserve. But I know – and so do a lot of other people …. it doesn’t have to be this way. That’s why I’m now focused on teaming up with any organization to help stop this threat.
It might take forever – and maybe I’ll never see the day when all this is cleaned up, when we can “form a more perfect union” by taking our Democracy off the auction block. But I do know one thing – something that I learned 9 years ago when I kicked off my congressional campaign – that I still knew 6 years ago as I politely lobbied our town council – and as I stood outside the Shop Rite with a petition, and subsequently having endured the humiliation of having the same council dismantle our efforts months later in front of us….. This is a cause worth fighting for – as hard as you would any cancer that threatens you …. or your family …. or your whole society.
Tom Wyka
Parsippany
