Lastly, I wonder whether there remains any reason for makingrna contribution directly to the candidate rather than throughrnthe Bank. The reasons for making such contributions are: to influencernlegislation, to gain privileged access to the officeholder,rnto gain privileged access to information, to thank a legislator forrnsupporting or promoting a particular piece of legislation, and tornsupport a candidate whose past, present, or future actions or beliefsrnare deemed desirable. The first three reasons have as theirrnaim increasing the likelihood of receiving something of value inrnexchange for the contribution. Contributions motivated byrnthese three reasons are therefore to be minimized. Contributionsrnfor the last two reasons can be accomplished just as effectivelyrnthrough the Bank, and b)’ going through the Bank therncontributions are effectively cleansed.rnCivil libertarians should be heartened by this proposal becausernit impinges in no way on the First Amendment. Individualsrnand businesses become free to contribute unlimitedrnamounts of money to support candidates of their choosing asrnlong as their contributions are tunneled through the Bank.rnCould such a proposal be implemented? Quite easily, itrnwould seem. All it would take is a financial institution willingrnto set up the machinery for the Bank, and political candidatesrnwho believe they can gain a competitive edge on their rival candidatesrnby renouncing all direct campaign contributions. Thernmarketplace would then assert its judgment.rnThis proposal offers a free-market solution to the problemsrnraised by campaign contributions and political influence. ThernFederal Elections Commission could be abolished, or reemergernas a mere shadow of its former self, enforcing only the reportingrnrequirements on campaign expenditures. The campaign financernreform laws now on the books could be scrapped, alongrnwith the existing machinery for collecting and distributingrnfunds to presidential candidates. Campaign restrictions on therncandidates themselves would certainly become less onerous.rnFinally, I would expect an increase in the proportion of totalrncampaign contributions received by challengers versus incumbents,rnbecause contributions would now be driven largely byrnpreferences for candidates, rather than by access to the system.rnAnd because influence, privileged access, and privileged informationrnwould no longer be for sale, I would expect a reductionrnin overall campaign contributions and campaign spending, arndecrease in the proportion of total campaign contributions receivedrnbv the party in control of the House and the Senate—rnand especially among committee chairmen—and a reductionrnin the manipulation of legislation, especially tax legislation, forrnthe purpose of eliciting contributions. crnPriam’s SonsrnbvHayden HeadrnPriam’s hfty sinewed sons.rnHis woven rope of boys,rnWere twisted in a cable strongrnEnough to tow to TroyrnA thousand Grecian ships or more.rnTo fertile, headstrong Troy.rnThose fifty strands of DNArn(That one man could supply them!)rnWere woven helixlike to towrnThe lineage of old PriamrnInto the evanescing dawnrnOf ever nascent scions.rnWe saw what NeoptolemusrnDid to Priam’s cable:rnHe hacked the strands in gleeful rage.rnAccording to the fable,rn’Til he tore through the courtyard wallrnAnd smeared with gore the lares,rnThen sacrificed the old man’s lifernTo ever hungry Ares.rnOur reflections might be guided thus:rnAeneas had Ascanius,rnHis only son, yet he was pleasedrnTo see his seed like thirsty beesrnUpon the riverbank in hellrnWhere Anchises dwelled.rnOdysseus had Telemachus,rnHis only son, and he was justrnIn ruling rascal Ithaka.rnWhen the old man, mythicalrnAnd legendary, had to go—rnOdysseus knew his son could string his bow.rnAbraham had only Isaac,rnWhose end, it’s true, was almost tragic,rnBut God revoked his odd demand,rnAnd Abraham had seed like sand.rnEven God, at whose commandrnWhole worlds arise, had but one strand.rnAn only son, a broken thread,rnUnloved, unheeded, and unwed.rnRewoven at the resurrection.rnHe pulled the world to God’s perfection.rn24/CHRONICLESrnrnrn