Dear Friends at Emerson Co.:

We're writing in response to the solicitation letter you recently received from your boss, Emerson chairman and CEO David N. Farr, on behalf of the U.S. Senate candidacy of Rep. Todd Akin, R-Wildwood.

We can't promise you the kind of goodies your boss did — a chance to attend a reception for Mr. Akin on Aug. 9 at the Log Cabin Club in Ladue in return for a recommended donation of at least $1,000 to Mr. Akin's campaign. Or, better yet, a seat at an "intimate dinner" afterward with Mr. Akin and the boss in return for a $5,000 donation.

No, if you want to kiss up to the boss, you're better off doing what he says and RSVPing to Emerson's chief lobbyist in Washington, D.C. Sure, you can send regrets. Mr. Farr said that there's no pressure, and that "your contribution is purely voluntary and will have no impact on your employment with Emerson."

But we wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to take a chance. Jobs are pretty hard to come by in this economy. As Mr. Farr said in 2009, "I'm not going to hire anybody in the United States. I'm moving."

But you should know a couple of things, even if you tend to vote Republican anyway. Mr. Farr's letter assumes that Mr. Akin will be the GOP challenger to Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill. That's by no means a sure thing. He could face a tough primary race. If he doesn't get past the primary, you'll have to wait for him to return $2,500 of your money. The limit is $2,500 for the primary and $2,500 for the general election.

You might prefer former state treasurer Sarah Steelman of Rolla to Mr. Akin. She's far better known across the state and almost as conservative. Only Genghis Khan is as conservative as Mr. Akin.

And then there's John G. Brunner, chairman of Vi-Jon, Inc., a private-label cosmetics company headquartered in Vinita Park. He's toying with getting into the race, and, having inherited his company, he's got enough money to pay his own way.

If you like up-by-the-bootstraps Republicans, Ms. Steelman is your candidate. Like Mr. Brunner, Mr. Akin — even though he's been on a public payroll since 1989 — comes from a wealthy family; his great-grandfather founded Laclede Steel.

You might even be a closet Democrat. In this case, take comfort in knowing that Emerson's political action committee, the Responsible Government Fund (records show Mr. Farr donates $200 twice a month to the PAC), occasionally gives money to Democrats. Among them: U.S. Reps. Russ Carnahan of St. Louis, Charles Rangel of New York and — wonder of wonders, $3,000 to Claire McCaskill herself in the 2007-2008 election cycle.

We think you should give your political donations to whichever candidates you choose, regardless of party, and that you shouldn't have to tell your boss who it is. That's just blatant intimidation.

But maybe you agree with Mr. Akin's recent comments that "at the heart of liberalism, really, is a hatred for God and a belief that government should replace God" and his characterization of President Barack Obama as "a flaming socialist."

If that's the kind of enlightened political discourse you find useful, by all means enjoy the reception and/or the intimate dinner. Just don't expect the conversation to be sparkling.