Republicans Cave on Campaign Finance

NewsMax ^ | 3/19/02 | (UPI)

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Top Republican aides predicted Monday that an expected parliamentary fight over a campaign finance bill opposed by most Republicans as unconstitutional would be "anti-climatic."

"I expect that the bill will receive a cloture vote on Wednesday and be voted into law on Thursday," said a top Republican aide. "The horrible fight everyone expects will probably be anti-climatic."

The Republican leadership in the Senate strongly opposes the bill, which would ban unregulated donations to political parties and limit issue advertising before elections. It had threatened to filibuster the bill. But GOP aides said Monday that the bill would pass and that there might be few members willing to delay the inevitable.

Senate plurality leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said Friday that any attempt by the Republicans to delay the campaign finance vote would result in the Senate "working around the clock." Democrats then arranged a photo opportunity of cots and mattresses being delivered to the Capitol so that senators could take naps during the non-stop debate. Republican aides dismissed the move as unnecessary.

"I think Daschle is grandstanding on this one," the senior GOP aide said. "He knows that we won't need any cots."

Although the campaign finance bill - introduced and supported by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Russ Feingold, D-Wis. - has the simple majority votes needed for passage, any bill in the Senate needs 60 votes to end debate, or it can be filibustered. Current vote counts put the number of senators willing to vote to end debate at about 60, leaving passage virtually assured, according to aides from both parties. But according to Senate rules, a vote to end debate is usually followed by 30 hours of final debate. Daschle has said he would be willing to keep the Senate in session nonstop if Republicans did not agree to waive the 30 hours. Several aides to Republican senators said that such a maneuver, though possible, seemed unlikely.

Payback for Pickering? Don't Be on It

But one aide did warn that the Senate Judiciary Committee's refusal last week to let the full Senate vote on District Judge Charles Pickering, a close friend of Republican Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., had caused a lot of tension between the leadership of both parties that could explode. The aide also said that no behind-the-scenes discussions between the parties to relieve the tension had taken place.

"We ain't talking," he said.

The Senate passed its original version of McCain-Feingold last year 59 to 41, but several senators who voted against the measure said they would vote for cloture. The Senate will consider a new version of that bill that passed the House in February and expects not to consider amendments to that bill, according to staff with the Democrat leadership.

Any amendment would force the bill to go to a bipartisan, bicameral conference committee, where Republicans would get another shot at defeating or changing the legislation.

Although he has expressed concerns about a ban on "soft-money" donations to political parties, President Bush has indicated that he will sign McCain-Feingold if it passes Congress.

[rwfromkansas]

This is so angering....

[pray4liberty]

I see Hillary.

[kcvl]

*Princess and the Pea*

My thoughts EXACTLY!

[Uncle Bill]

BTTT

[baxter999]

"I'll never vote for Bush again "

I'll agree with you that far but I don't know about the rest. Keyes is articulate and sincere rather than a blowhard.

Regarding Buchanan, I can't figure out why some say he's not a conservative. The only thing I have ever found is that he is anti-NAFTA, as are lots of other conservatives. I would appreciate hearing from you why you don't consider him a conservative because I've never understood these views.

Regards

[baxter999]

You may be right about not being able to beat Bush. Even Reagan couldn't beat Ford. But you can count on me trying my best with my mouth and my money to turn this CINO (Conservative in name only) back into a private citizen when he signs CFR.

[Cable225]

"I'll agree with you that far but I don't know about the rest. "

Actually, I don't think we're in agreement at all. I suggest you re-read my post.

I said there is a "line in the sand" crowd here on FR that likes to throw around how they'll never vote for Bush again. I also said I don't think Bush ever had their vote in the first place.

GWB not only got my vote in 2000, he's got it in 2004. I'm just sorry I can't vote for him today.

And Pat's not a conservative any more. I still respect some of what he says, but he's moved too far left on too many issues to be considered anything but a populist.

[Uncle Bill]

Statement by the President

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 20, 2002
Statement by the President

Like many Republicans and Democrats in the Congress, I support common-sense reforms to end abuses in our campaign finance system. The reforms passed today, while flawed in some areas, still improve the current system overall, and I will sign them into law.

The legislation makes some important progress on the timeliness of disclosure, individual contribution limits, and banning soft money from corporations and labor unions, but it does present some legitimate constitutional questions. I continue to believe the best reform is full and timely disclosure of campaign contributions.

###

Return to this article at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020320-21.html

---

The George W. Bush Lie

ABC News's This Week on January 23, 2000:

GEORGE F. WILL: I want to see if you agree with those who say it would be bad for the First Amendment? I know you're not a lawyer, you say that with some pride, but do you think a president, and we've got a lot of non-lawyer presidents, has a duty to make an independent judgment of what is and is not constitutional, and veto bills that, in his judgment, he thinks are unconstitutional?

GOV. BUSH: I do.

WILL: In which case, would you veto the McCain-Feingold bill, or the Shays-Meehan bill?

BUSH: That's an interesting question. I — I — yes I would.
Source

LIAR - George W. Bush

[Inspector Harry Callahan]

National Review has archived that interview

Regards.

[Uncle Bill]

Thanks Harry.

[Uncle Bill]

"How many of us were told our tinfoil hats were on to tight when we tried to warn them about Bush? He doesn't work in the light of day. He is better suited for the dark of the moon."

So true, so true. Now they're torturing themselves trying to explain it all.

[Uncle Bill]

Another bump.