A look at what's happening with the new campaign finance law

Associated Press ^ | 6-21-02 | SHARON THEIMER

[Oldeconomybuyer]

WASHINGTON (AP) --

[deport]

Money.... what money. Who's got the money? The mother's milk of politics and they aren't going to eliminate it other than rearrange the flow somewhat...

[steve50]

They doubled hard money limits, looks like they are going to be completely ineffective at slowing soft. The only part of the bill that's going to stand is the part keeping issue advocates/independent groups from opening their mouths 30/60 days prior. It was an incumbent protection racket from the start and the SC will let it stand. So much for free speech

[Blackyce]

I was sure the SC would overrule it, until I saw the garbage rulings they handed down yesterday. Apparently now they can just do whatever the hell they want, as long as "public opinion" is behind them

[Zon]

Seems obvious enough to me that lobbyists and special interest groups seeking to buy access to government power in order to gain unfair competitive advantages would be non existent if politicians weren't putting government power up for sale in the first place.

They sell us "little guys" snake oil while they sell government power to their cronies.

[blackdog]

Real results that McCain can be proud of. What other efforts has he been tirelessly championing? I would say we would all be better off if the house and senate just went to their home states for 20 years in shame.

And to all you POS news/talkshow mouths....Why the hell was this BS issue of campaign finance reform something you had to blather on about for years. You delivered a huge turd instead. The more you try to polish it the messier it gets and the more it smells.

[blackdog]

When the SC ruled that the IRS can just guess what someone's earnings are I have given up all hope. That decision was 6-1 at that! Now we have a BSC. On top of the recent rulings, it is also the cases that they have refused to hear and have sent them back to the lower courts w/o comment that scare the crap out of me. Just what the hell are they seated for?

[Fish out of Water]

*Index Bump

[Maelstrom]

Ah...look at that.

Did you catch it?

Now the law won't even do what it was publicized to do...but more importantly:
1) It hasn't been ruled UnConstitutional yet
2) The FEC has adopted regulations concerning the law that will easily outlive the law itself. You now have to push for FEC reform in addition to repealing the campaign finance law.

[goldstategop]

It's going to be declared unconstitutional. You can't plug the loophole known as the First Amendment. No wonder the FEC's decisions have driven the Four Comrades bananas.

[Teacher317]

Q: What's wrong with soft money, anyway?
A: Critics say it's gotten out of hand.

No, critics of Congress know that the politicians have gotten out of hand, and should be punished for their payola schemes, the unions have gotten out of hand, and should be punished for violating the Beck decision, and the lobbyists have gotten out of hand, and should not have greater access to our representatives than the average citizen has.

Of course, rather than change their gravy-train system, they'll merely rearrange some useless rules to make it look like they're against THEIR OWN UNJUST ACTIONS. A typical day in the life of Congress.

[Maelstrom]

Will it be declared unconstitutional? How many election cycles after it's been in effect, will it be declared unconstitutional?

And is this any guarantee that the new FEC regulations effecting the law will be repealed? I don't think so...I think an additional lawsuit will be required to change the FEC regulations.