Afew weeks ago, in a clever shot at the allencompassing computer god of our young people, the teenage cartoon character Zits actually received a letter in the mail.

Claire Hoy He was quite excited by that, waving it to his parents, but in the final cell of the cartoon strip he asked, “What do I do with it?”

I was wondering somewhat the same thing with a letter I received in the mail recently from - of all people - the Liberal Party of Canada, seeking financial support, and signed by Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.

As somebody who has been in the journalism business for several decades, of course, I have always thought it improper for a journalist - at least one who writes about politics - to donate money to any political party, but if I were to break that rule (which I won’t) you can be sure that Ignatieff would not be the recipient of my largesse.

Not that he had a hope anyway, but if their current fundraising rationale is the best they can come up with as a reason to support them, well, they’re in more trouble than I thought.

First, however, a word on our system of tax credits - outlined in detail by the Liberals in their letter to me, but applicable to all the parties.

I believe the political parties should have to raise their own money without relying on enormous subsidies from the public.

Why, for example, should a taxpayer who supports the NDP say, have no choice but to see some of his tax dollars used to underwrite the Tories and Liberals?

As a p.s. to his letter, Ignatieff writes, “Our democratic system supports and encourages political donations through general tax credits of up to 75 percent of the amount of your contribution. The net, after tax cost of a $100 donation is as little as $25. See the tax chart below to understand more about how much of your gift you will get back at tax time.”

If, for example,you gave your favourite political party $250, the tax credit would be $187.50, so, as the Liberal chart puts it, the “real cost to you” would be only $62.50.

Actually, the “real cost to you” is more than that. For starters, who does Ignatieff think is picking up the tax credit ?

Is it the tooth fairy? Santa? Or - could it possibly be - you, Mr. And Mrs. Beleaguered Taxpayer? Worse, by developing such a self-serving system of feeding their own partisan interests, the result is that the costs of political activity, and not just election campaigns, skyrockets. No need to keep costs down when taxpayers are picking up most of the costs anyway.

It’s just plain wrong. Period. Meanwhile, back at Ignatieff’s argument about why I - as a voter - should not only cut him a cheque but vote for him, too.

According to Ignatieff, anybody who has been following politics will have noted “an alarming trend” in Tory behaviour,(and they put this in bold face type to emphasize the horror of it all) to wit: “aggressive and consistent action intended to silence the voice of those who fail to toe the Conservative Party line.”

Ignatieff adds, “It’s a fundamental tenet of the right to free speech in a democratic society that the government must defend and support the ability of all its citizens to openly express their views - even those it disagrees with.”

Here. Here. Who could disagree?

Well, reading Ignatieff’s letter, it appears that he disagrees. For the “disturbing” examples he offers, e.g. the Tories disagreeing with former Afghan official Richard Colvin, criticizing the CBC, and so on, show clearly that Ignatieff, supposedly a brilliant man, simply does not understand free speech, even though he claims to be raising funds to help in “restoring that value” in our country.

Free speech, you see, is not a one-way street. Apparently in Ignatieff’s world, the Tory critics are free to say anything they want about the Tories but, alas, the Tories aren’t allowed to respond, which is all that he has found them guilty of in every example he cites.

People often make this mistake. They seem to believe that they are free to say anything they want but - horror of horrors - should the subject of their attacks feel inclined to respond in kind well, it’s simply an outrage.

The Tories have as much right as the Liberals or anybody else to either agree or disagree with anybody. That’s what free speech is.

Somebody should tell Ignatieff that before he makes an even bigger fool of himself.