McCain-Feingold-Soros Legislation (The Point)

News Central ^ | November 9, 2004 | Mark Hyman

[Angry Republican]

The infamous McCain-Feingold legislation became law in early 2002. The legislation stripped away certain First Amendment rights by placing a gag order on political speech by some groups during specified periods before elections. The stated intent of the bill was to reduce the amount of money in federal races. Last week's presidential and Congressional elections showed otherwise as record amounts of money were spent. McCain-Feingold neither ended outside voices in elections nor stemmed the flow of money quite the success story.

Two and a half years after it became law and after it narrowly survived a 5-4 Supreme Court challenge a new truth about McCain-Feingold is learned. The 240 Representatives and 60 Senators who voted for its passage are officially the chumps of billionaire currency trader George Soros.

>The Hungarian-born Soros was a leading supporter of McCain-Feingold and similar state and federal legislation. He funneled millions of dollars into Public Campaign, Democracy 21 and other groups in order to pass legislation severely restricting political speech. McCain-Feingold silenced labor unions and trade associations with memberships in the hundreds of thousands. Millions had their collective political voices censored. Literally.

Once the competition was silenced, Soros began pouring money by the millions into brand new 527 groups. Soros, convicted in France of insider trading in 2002 helped shut down the political speech of labor unions and corporations representing the views of millions of Americans. Soros had the political money train and the microphone nearly all to himself. One man joined by a handful of like-minded ultra-liberals reserved for himself nearly unchallenged political speech.

The Point was deeply opposed to McCain-Feingold and to President Bush signing it into law. The 5-4 Supreme Court ruling has our Founding Fathers rolling over in their graves. The reason is now obvious. The 300 in Congress who voted for McCain-Feingold and the President who signed it into law, gave to the Hungarian financier, rights and access denied to thousands of American businesses, unions and trade associations.

The first order of business for the new Congress should be to overturn McCain-Feingold.

And that's the Point.

I'm Mark Hyman.

[Angry Republican]

In all fairness, McCain-Feingold did give us the Swift Boat Vets. They probably would not have had the impact they had in the 2004 election without it.

[beyond the sea]

McCain-Finegold -- THE WORST

[mark502inf]

Every time we try to "reform" campaign finance, we just alter the flow of money. Let people spend their money as they see fit. Get rid of the campaign finance regulation excepting one provision, all sources of money must be listed--who gave and how much.

[Calvarys_Soldier]

The ItsLame-Feingold Act was never going to solve the problem. In fact, there is no way to stop the flow of money from private companies into campaigns. There are really only two options. First is publicly financed campaigns. Hang on, let me check something...nope, no pigs flying outside. Let me check something else...hi, Mr. Demon, is it freezing down there? No? Okay. So there goes that option. Why you might ask? Because the American people pay for enough things without having to pay for political campaigns!

So there is really only one more option. Eliminate soft money completely and allow unlimited hard money donations by any American citizen. With one major difference. Complete disclosure. Make all donations to political parties easily viewable by the public. This will make it very obvious if there are any positions given for a large donation. Then again, that was the obvious answer long ago. Except it didn't fit into the Democrat Class Warfare plan. Oops.

[lancer]

They probably would not have had the impact they had ....

How so? Wouldn't they have asked for contributions from the same sources they did? And wouldn't those sources (you and me, I presume) have contributed as we did?

I don't think the 527 law "made" the Swift Boat Vets; anger against the traitor is what made them successful and that did not depend on a 527.

At least that's the way I see it.

[Angry Republican]

I don't think the 527 law "made" the Swift Boat Vets

You're right, it didn't. The only thing that strikes my curiosity is what the impact would have been if not for the McCain-Feingold passing.

[BIGZ]

This should not be brain surgery! Part of the solution is term limits. No one should make a career out of legislative office. Layers who can't make in the legal world turn to politics and do politics poorly. Political contributions should come only from the area the aspiring or entrenched politician is trying to obtain office or retain office. This type system would make it certain that the politicians represent their constituents. This would be a start.

[BIGZ]

I know lawyers or mabe liers.

[Snerdley]

Interesting Sorros information on www.opensecrets.com:

Soros Donations (abreviated list, for more complete list go here: http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?Order=D&txtName=soros&txtState=&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt2004=Y&txt2002=&txt2000=&txt1998=&txt1996=&txt1994=&txt1992=&txt1990=&txtSoft=N )

These are just some of the ones that had Soros in their name. Notice the near simultanious dates of these contributions. Heck there are even Multiple contributions from the same person the SAME DAY. Is the FEC looking into this?

SOROS, MELISSA S
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SELF EMPLOYED/FILMMAKER
8/9/2004
$2,000
Kerry, John

SOROS, GEORGE MR
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT LLC/BUSINESS
8/3/2004
$5,000
HILLPAC

SOROS, ANNALIESE
NEW YORK,NY 10014
TRACE FOUNDATION
7/23/2004
$25,000
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte

SOROS, GEORGE
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT
6/30/2004
$25,000
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte

SOROS, JENNIFER
NEW YORK,NY 10011
CONSULTANT
6/30/2004
$25,000
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte

SOROS, JONATHAN T
NEW YORK,NY 10106
LAWYER
6/30/2004
$5,000
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte

SOROS, MELISSA
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT
6/30/2004
$25,000
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte


SOROS, ANNALIESE
NEW YORK,NY 10023
RETIRED
6/28/2004
$1,000
Murray, Patty

SOROS, GEORGE
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS MANAGEMENT FUND
6/28/2004
$1,000
Murray, Patty

SOROS, JENNIFER A ALLAN
NEW YORK,NY 10011
CONSULTANT
6/28/2004
$1,000
Murray, Patty

SOROS, JONATHAN T ALLAN
NEW YORK,NY 10011
SOROS MANAGEMENT FUND
6/28/2004
$1,000
Murray, Patty

SOROS, MELISSA SCHIFF
NEW YORK,NY 10106
FILM MAKER
6/28/2004
$1,000
Murray, Patty

SOROS, PAUL
NEW CANAAN,CT 06840
PHILANTHROPIST
6/28/2004
$1,000
Murray, Patty

SOROS, ROBERT
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS MANAGEMENT FUND
6/28/2004
$1,000
Murray, Patty

SOROS, PAUL MR
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SELF/FOUNDATION CHAIR/PHILANTHROPIS
6/18/2004
$25,000
DNC Services Corp

SOROS, MELISSA SCHIFF
NEW YORK,NY 10106
FILM MAKER
6/10/2004
$2,000
Obama, Barack

SOROS, ROBERT
NEW YORK,NY 10014
SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT
6/10/2004
$2,000
Obama, Barack

SOROS, ANNALIESE
NEW YORK,NY 10023
RETIRED
6/4/2004
$2,000
Bowles, Erskine B

SOROS, GEORGE
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS FUND MANAGMENT
6/4/2004
$2,000
Bowles, Erskine B

SOROS, ANNALIESE
NEW YORK,NY
NOT EMPLOYED/RETIRED
4/19/2004
$2,000
Kerry, John

SOROS, JENNIFER
NEW YORK,NY 10011
CONSULTANT
3/15/2004
$12,000
Obama, Barack

SOROS, ROBERT
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT
3/15/2004
$25,000
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte

SOROS, ANNALIESE
NEW YORK,NY 10023
RETIRED
3/9/2004
$200
Bishop, Timothy H

SOROS, JONATHAN
NEW YORK,NY 10011
SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT
3/6/2004
$12,000
Obama, Barack

SOROS, ROBERT
NEW YORK CITY,NY 10014
SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT
3/4/2004
$12,000
Obama, Barack

SOROS, PAUL
NEW CANAAN,CT 06840
N/A/PHILATHROPIST/FOUNDATION CHAIR
3/1/2004
$2,000
Kerry, John

SOROS, DAISY M
NEW CANAAN,CT 06840
N/A/HOMEMAKER
2/27/2004
$2,000
Kerry, John

SOROS, GEORGE
NEW YORK,NY 10108
SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT
2/27/2004
$12,000
Obama, Barack

SOROS, SUSAN
KATONAH,NY 10536
BARD GRADUATE CENTER FOR DECORATIVE
2/27/2004
$12,000
Obama, Barack

SOROS, JONATHAN T
NEW YORK,NY 10106
LAWYER
2/25/2004
$20,000
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte

SOROS, JONATHAN
NEW YORK,NY 10011
SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT/INVESTOR
2/7/2004
$5,000
Moveon.org

SOROS, GEORGE
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS FUNDS MANAGEMENT
12/31/2003
$2,000
Leahy, Patrick

SOROS, GEORGE
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS FUNDS MANAGEMENT
12/31/2003
$2,000
Leahy, Patrick

SOROS, JONATHAN T ALLAN
NEW YORK,NY 10011
SOROS PRIVATE FUNDS MGMT/INVESTOR
10/29/2003
$2,000
Clark, Wesley

SOROS, JONATHAN T ALLAN
NEW YORK,NY 10011
SOROS PRIVATE FUNDS MGMT/INVESTOR
10/29/2003
$2,000
Clark, Wesley

SOROS, MELISSA SCHIFF
NEW YORK,NY 10106
FILM MAKER
10/23/2003
$2,000
Daschle, Tom

SOROS, MELISSA SCHIFF
NEW YORK,NY 10106
FILM MAKER
10/23/2003
$2,000
Daschle, Tom

SOROS, ROBERT
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT
10/23/2003
$2,000
Daschle, Tom

SOROS, ROBERT
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT
10/23/2003
$2,000
Daschle, Tom

SOROS, MELISSA
IR,
10/22/2003
$2,000
Clark, Wesley

SOROS, ROBERT
IR,
10/22/2003
$2,000
Clark, Wesley

SOROS, GEORGE
IR,
10/16/2003
$2,000
Clark, Wesley

SOROS, JONATHAN
NEW YORK,NY 10011
SOROS PRIVATE FUNDS MANAGEMENT/INVE
10/8/2003
$2,500
KidsPAC

SOROS, GEORGE
NEW YORK,NY 10011
SOROS FUNDS MANAGEMENT
9/25/2003
$1,500
Daschle, Tom

SOROS, GEORGE
NEW YORK,NY 10011
SOROS FUNDS MANAGEMENT
9/25/2003
$1,500
Daschle, Tom

SOROS, JEFFREY
LOS ANGELES,CA 90046
SELF EMPLOYED/WRITER
9/16/2003
$1,000
Dean, Howard

SOROS, CATHARINE
LOS ANGELES,CA 90046
NOT EMPLOYED/HOMEMAKER
9/15/2003
$1,000
Dean, Howard

SOROS, GEORGE
NEW YORK,NY 10028
SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT
8/26/2003
$1,250
Clinton, Hillary Rodham

SOROS, ROBERT
NEW YORK,NY 10019
SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT LLC/EXECUTIVE
6/30/2003
$2,000
Kerry, John

SOROS, ROBERT
NEW YORK,NY 10014
5/13/2003
$1,000
Dean, Howard

SOROS, GEORGE
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS FUNDS MANAGEMENT/INVESTOR
3/31/2003
$2,000
Kerry, John

SOROS, SUSAN W
NEW YORK,NY 10019
BARD GRADUATE CENTER/DIRECTOR
3/31/2003
$2,000
Kerry, John

SOROS, GEORGE
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT/BUSINESS EXEC
3/24/2003
$1,000
Dean, Howard

SOROS, SUSAN WEBER
NEW YORK,NY 10106
THE BARD CENTER/DIRECTOR
3/24/2003
$1,000
Dean, Howard

Also see his 527 contributions:

http://www.opensecrets.org/527s/527indivs.asp?cycle=2004

and if you look up many of those 527's you'll see they gave money to each other. Quite a laundering operation.

[lancer]

I think the 527s were more useful to the left than to us.

Without the 527s, it is questionable that the left would have funded the various organizations they did.

But I think our feelings about the traitor would have ensured funding of the SBVFTT.

[PGalt]

Thanks for some of the lowdown on $oro$.

[Snerdley]

Soros's involvement was amazingly complex, and the sources of his funds are even more of a mystery as those 500 Budist monks that gave money to Algore.

Who knows if Soros even used his own money? Maybe he really used the Red Chinese's money? Or Al-queda? hmmm.

[Pagey]

Bttt