What is that suppose to mean? Smear by association?
With public pressure, reform will succeed - campaign finance reform
Ann McBride
On September 7, the U.S. Senate witnessed a critically important bipartisan breakthrough in the fight for campaign finance reform. Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) and Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) introduced S. 1219, comprehensive campaign finance reform that would restore integrity to a political system now awash in special-interest contributions and a Congress under the sway of Washington's influence money culture.
The McCain-Feingold-Thompson bill is fair, tough, creative and comprehensive. It provides for strict spending limits for Senate candidates, alternative resources through free television time, strict limits on special-interest political action committees (PACs), and an end to the soft money system.
The McCain-Feingold-Thompson legislation presents a golden opportunity for reform.
I believe that we can - and will - win this battle for comprehensive campaign finance reform, not only because the fight is being led by a bipartisan coalition of senators, but also because the public is ready to fight for this crucial reform.
The two keys to achieving real political reform are the ability to harness broad bipartisan support in Congress and broad citizen action around the country.
Both of these were critical elements in Senate victories earlier this summer that established a comprehensive lobbyist gift ban for senators and saved the presidential campaign finance system.
The strength of bipartisan cooperation can help drive the campaign finance reform effort, and it certainly changes the dynamic on Capitol Hill. No longer can reform opponents resort to finger-pointing and desperate accusations that campaign finance reform is merely partisan politicking.
So, why will this year be different? Why will this coalition prevail when earlier congressional efforts have not?
It will be different, I believe, because this effort is truly bipartisan and because of the role citizens are playing to end the corrupting campaign finance system.
As Sen. Robert F. Kennedy once said, "The greatest voice is the voice of the people."
A recent public opinion poll found that citizens overwhelmingly support real campaign finance reform; 87 percent of Americans surveyed favor campaign spending limits and 88 percent favor limiting special-interest group contributions.
That citizens are outraged by the current system and support strong campaign finance reform is not new. But today there's also a healthy and growing feeling that to achieve real change, we as citizens also have a duty to act.
It's a duty that we as Common Cause members have lived by for 25 years. By working together as citizen activists we have achieved many major reforms over the years and today we have an extraordinary opportunity to press our senators and representatives to finally fundamentally change the corrupt campaign finance system and end the influence money mess in Washington.
This summer I attended Ross Perot's United We Stand conference in Dallas and watched as presidential candidates, congressional leaders and, most importantly, thousands of citizen activists focused much time and energy on their calls for campaign finance reform.
Citizens are fed up with business as usual, and Washington knows it. Citizens are fed up with stories of lobbyists using campaign money and inside influence to pass legislation that benefits their special interests. Citizens are fed up with the multibillion-dollar corporate welfare system that benefits powerful special interests at the expense of the average taxpayer - a system fueled by large campaign contributions.
Citizens are fed up with: multimillion-dollar congressional campaigns, financed by wealthy special interests; $30 million pouring into the political parties in just six months, through unregulated and uncontrolled soft money slush funds; the dozens of freshman House members who came to Washington to shake things up, but are instead shaking it down as instant incumbents and champion fundraisers; and members of Congress who form their own PACs, allowing them to raise millions more from special interests.
It's up to us as citizens to press the Senate to enact historic campaign finance reform.
In the upcoming weeks Common Cause will be focusing a large part of our organizational energy and activity into a nationwide grassroots campaign to pass this vitally important reform. I urge you to take up the battle with us by contacting your senators immediately. Our Alert message on the opposite page is a great place to get started.
Ann McBride is president of Common Cause.
COPYRIGHT 1995 Common Cause Magazine