When charlatans attempt to perpetrate a fraud on the public, one would hope that the news media would sound an alarm. Instead, the press often becomes the very medium by which lies are conveyed. This was the case recently when a national touring company of two Republican politicians made its stop in Seattle. They came to engage in a so-called "debate" on tax policy, with Dick Armey arguing for a flat tax, and Billy Tauzin for a national sales tax.

The P.I. was so enthused, they ran a story two days in advance, encouraging people to attend. After all, said the story, the tour "is getting high marks from tax experts." Were we to conclude that the community of tax experts is unanimous in this opinion? If not, then why did we hear from only one side?

The article briefly mentions a Democratic proposal for a system under which three-fourths of all taxpayers would pay a 10% income tax rate. Why was this idea left out of the debate? The P.I. doesn't address this question, but the answer lies with the tour's sponsor: Citizens for a Sound Economy. Had the P.I.'s reporter spent a few minutes browsing the Internet, he would have discovered some interesting facts about this organization.

CSE has strong links to the Republican party; its leadership includes former high officials in the Reagan and Bush administrations. A group that can afford to fly two Congressmen around the country, hiring out halls like the Convention Center, must have very deep pockets. Indeed, Public Citizen reports that in 1991 CSE received a $191,800 contribution from tobacco conglomerate Philip Morris--most likely, just the tip of the iceberg.

Readers might have liked to know that CSE has lobbied for NAFTA, fast-track authority, and electricity deregulation. They oppose environmental regulation and reforming managed health care. Theirs is a familiar position: nothing must stand in the way of profit. And that position has been very successful: between the 1950s and 1991, the corporate share of federal income taxes fell from 23% to 9.2%. But this isn't enough for the sponsors of "Scrap the Code." When they speak of "freedom," it's the freedom of the powerful to prey upon the weak.

Organizations like CSE attempt to delude ordinary citizens into identifying their interests with those of corporate monoliths. Here's hoping that in the future, the P.I. will not so readily allow itself to be used in such efforts. --Jon Reinsch