LETERS: GET ALL THE FACTS BEFORE ATTACKING REFORM PARTY

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hic: To the editor:

I did not miss the Reform Party Convention. I watched it for three days on C-SPAN. Undoubtedly, the person who wrote the Aug. 22 editorial, "Did you miss Reform conventions -- both of 'em?" did not watch for any of the three days. The editorial was nothing but a repeat of the brainwashing tactics of the television news media.

Personally, I thought the Republican and Democrat conventions were both bizarre spectacles. I thought the Reform Party Convention was the best of all.

I called the Federal Election Commission and got this information: Distribution of taxpayer funds, George Bush -- $67,560,0000, Al Gore -- $67,560,000, Pat Buchanan -- $12,613,452, Ralph Nader -- $0, Harry Brown -- $0.

Now, on to the conventions funded by the taxpayers: Republican convention -- $13,680,292, Democratic convention -- $13,680,292, Reform convention -- $2,500,000, Green convention -- $0, Libertarian convention, $0.

The way I see it, the Reform Party will spend every dime of its money on TV ads and renting a bus for Pat Buchanan to campaign across this country and talk to people. The Reform Party, the Green Party and the Libertarian Party are not taking any PAC money from big corporations.

Why don't we accuse Al Gore and George Bush of running just for the money? Each of those two men has $54,946,548 more than Buchanan. And the Republican and Democratic parties got $11,180,292 more than the Reform Party for their conventions. This is all in millions of dollars, folks.

And we'll never know how much foreign money and bribe money the Democrats and Republicans will raise from now till November.

A thank you to Victor L. Brant for his Aug. 20 letter to the editor. It was great. I agree with him wholeheartedly. And don't tune out, people. Call 1-800-424-9530 if you don't believe what I stated about the distribution of FEC funds. Tell them you want Pat Buchanan and Ralph Nader and Harry Brown in the presidential debates. And tell them to give Buchanan his small pittance compared to the Republicans and Democrats and to quit fooling around with our money.

CAROL M. WILKINSON

Cape Girardeau