McGovern’s Democracy

Social Security checks mailed this month. He did not mention the associated tax increase. Ah, the hell with it. “My name is Richard Nixon, King of Kings. Look upon my works, ye taxpayers, and despair.”—translation of a runestone of doubtful authenticity, c. the twentieth century.

■ Is there anywhere a committee as unsatisfactory as Charles Taft’s Fair Campaign Practices Committee? The Fair Campaign Practices Committee—you are forgiven if you’ve forgotten what it does—collects complaints about unfair campaign practices and then, just about the time the new President is sworn in and the new Congress convened, it reports on the no-nos of the past fall. Tut-tut and slap on the wrist, and let’s do better next time, team. But seldom does it report that such and such is an unfair practice during the course of the campaign—unless of course the unfair practicer turns out to be a conservative. So again this year, the Committee has come forth with its initial report. Unfair practices, it says, are abounding; they are way up over 1968 when, as of October 1, there were yea many while as of this October 1 there have been yea many squared. But no word on specific complaints and no exhortations to cease and desist.

LF

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Lewis S. Feuer

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Social Security checks mailed this month. He did not mention the associated tax increase. Ah, the hell with it. “My name is Richard Nixon, King of Kings. Look upon my works, ye taxpayers, and despair.”—translation of a runestone of doubtful authenticity, c. the twentieth century.

■ Is there anywhere a committee as unsatisfactory as Charles Taft’s Fair Campaign Practices Committee? The Fair Campaign Practices Committee—you are forgiven if you’ve forgotten what it does—collects complaints about unfair campaign practices and then, just about the time the new President is sworn in and the new Congress convened, it reports on the no-nos of the past fall. Tut-tut and slap on the wrist, and let’s do better next time, team. But seldom does it report that such and such is an unfair practice during the course of the campaign—unless of course the unfair practicer turns out to be a conservative. So again this year, the Committee has come forth with its initial report. Unfair practices, it says, are abounding; they are way up over 1968 when, as of October 1, there were yea many while as of this October 1 there have been yea many squared. But no word on specific complaints and no exhortations to cease and desist.