I was disappointed that Steven Pearlstein’s solution to the political problems of this country was to ask Americans to stop joining organizations that are improving society every day [“Starve the beast. End the stalemate,” Business, Dec. 18]. Specifically, Mr. Pearlstein called on Americans to refuse to send their dues checks to their professional associations and join an online reform movement simply because their associations may participate in the political contribution process. Association dues cannot legally be used as federal campaign donations; they can only be used for an association’s tax-exempt purpose.
Second, Mr. Pearlstein implied that associations are just interest groups that only work in the advocacy arena. Associations are communities where people go to learn more and become better at their chosen profession, which benefits society at large. Who does not want his doctors to know the latest surgical techniques or her children’s teachers to know the best teaching methods? Associations make this possible.
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