Political Junk Mail

     To the Editor:

     Today I received a letter from Vice President Joe Biden. The return address is DSCC, 120 Mayyland Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002. Postage on the envelope is 8.6 cents and it was mailed from ZIP code 08057. That looks like a non-profit postage rate. Wouldn't you know it?
     I didn't open this letter. I tossed it in my recycle bin.
     There's a pile of "political junk mail" already there. The return addresses have names like State Senator James Seward, Assembly Member Barbara Lifton, Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and Congressman Hanna. Mitt Romney and Andrew Cuomo are in there too.
     I throw political junk mail in my recycle bin because these politicians have already taken a large portion of my retirement income, directly or indirectly, by imposing income taxes, sales taxes, or property taxes and associated fees. Add inflation, which is a flat tax on everyone, rich or poor. So why should I give them more money?
     Do these politicians and their campaigns think that my wife and I are related to Fort Knox, George Soros, or the Koch brothers? We are not.
     My wife and I manage to get by without low income assistance on a meagre mix of social security and two small pensions. We don't have a second home on Skaneateles Lake or in Florida or in North Carolina. We can't afford that life style.
     So why do these politicians and their campaigns keep sending us their requests for more money? Why are they trying to dig the hole deeper or gouge us more? What is the rationale?
     Are there other people who do contribute, and encourage more of this?
     I can't speak for others, or even for my wife, but I wonder how many people share my distaste and aversion to political junk mail. Don't get me started on those robo telephone calls.

Wilbur Buffett
Cortland