From: "James M. Cobb" <jcobb@ahcbsd1.ovnet.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 95 08:54:31 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Political Cleanup program
Message-ID: <Pine.BSD.3.91.951221115215.9337B-100000@ahcbsd1.ovnet.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


 
 
Friend, 
 
 
On 12 17 95 jimbell@pacifier.com proposed 
 
    ...a system...that would "blind" campaign donations as to 
    their source:  The donor could be satisfied that his dona- 
    tion gets to the candidate or cause, but the candidate could- 
    n't know  who actually paid the money (and the donor would 
    be unable to prove that he made a donation...). 
 
 
Let's analyse: 
 
A gives B what B wants (money) so that B will give A what A 
  wants (whatever). 
A knows B got the money. 
A can't prove he gave the money to B. 
 
B knows he got the money. 
B can't be sure that A gave the money. 
 
So, depending on time, place, and circumstance; and assum- 
ing B's elected: 
 
     B will not give A what A wants
 
                 OR 
 
     B will give A what A wants 
 
 
For instance, if... 
 
 
  A gives the money but dies before B gets elected. 
 
  A gives the money but gets sent to the Balkans. 
 
  A is a nobody. 
 
 
...B will not give A what A wants. 
 
 
For instance, if... 
 
 
  A gives the money but B's already in debt to him, and the 
    baloon payment's due. 
 
  A gives the money and A's appointed head of an office where 
    B's relatives "work." 
 
  A is the main man in town. 
 
 
...B will give A what A wants. 
 
 
Some things are known by some people whether they're entered 
on the books or not. 
 
I agree with the proposer that his system 
 
    ...would change politics as we know it.
 
 
Flexible corruption is best. 
 
 
Cordially, 
 
Jim