To the Journal editor:

I recently wrote to U.S. Congressman Jack Bergman, R MI-1, in support of HR 1, the For the People Act introduced by John Sarbanes, D MD-3. Bergman replied by correctly listing the main points of the proposed legislation, which is designed to “…ban campaign contributions by corporations controlled by foreign nationals … automatically register citizens to vote, and … make Election Day a holiday,” among other decidedly democratic (small-d) ideas.

He went on to say he supports “efforts to involve all Americans in our electoral process (but) this aim must be balanced with (protections) against fraud and abuse.”

Balanced? Of course, we cannot allow fraud or abuse. Unfortunately, this is Bergman’s and the Republican Party’s way of saying they cannot vote for anything put forward by a Democratic Party member, or anything that increases voting participation by the middle class and poor. Don’t get me wrong. I am not a Democrat, or a Socialist (the newest slur for anyone not Republican). I do not vote Democratic or Republican. I vote on issues, not parties.

It is unclear to me, and Bergman fails to elucidate, how curtailing big-money and foreign influence in our elections must be “balanced” by anything. It is unclear how automatic voter registration by government agencies will lead to more fraud. Actually, it should serve to eliminate fraud, provided it’s done in a non-partisan way.

Please contact your representatives and ask for election reforms that remove corruption and guarantee that all citizens are treated equally, and have an equal voice in a government by the people and for the people.

JOHN PAKKALA

Hancock