LIAR - President Bush Outlines Campaign Reform Principles

White House Web Site ^ | March 15, 2001 | George W. Bush

[jimkress]

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 15, 2001

President Bush Outlines Campaign Reform Principles

March 15, 2001

The Honorable Trent Lott
Senate Majority Leader
S-230, The Capitol
Washington, DC  20510

Dear Senator Lott:

     As the Senate prepares to consider campaign finance reform legislation, I wanted to highlight my principles for reform.  I am committed to working with the Congress to ensure that fair and balanced campaign reform legislation is enacted.

     These principles represent my framework for assessing campaign finance reform legislation.  I remain open to other ideas to meet shared goals.

     I am hopeful that, working together, we can achieve responsible campaign finance reforms.

Sincerely,

George W. Bush

---

Campaign Finance Reform

President Bush's Reform Principles

Protect Rights of Individuals to Participate in Democracy: President Bush believes democracy is first and foremost about the rights of individuals to express their views.  He supports strengthening the role of individuals in the political process by: 1) updating the limits established more than two decades ago on individual giving to candidates and national parties; and 2) protecting the rights of citizen groups to engage in issue advocacy.

Maintain Strong Political Parties: President Bush believes political parties play an essential role in making America's democratic system operate.  He wants to maintain the strength of parties, and not to weaken them.  Any reform should help political parties more fully engage citizens in the political process and encourage them to express their views and to vote.

Ban Corporate and Union Soft Money:  Corporations and labor unions spend millions of dollars every election cycle in unregulated 'soft? money to influence federal elections.  President Bush supports a ban on unregulated corporate and union contributions of soft money to political parties.

Eliminate Involuntary Contributions: President Bush believes no one should be forced to support a candidate or cause against his or her will.  He therefore supports two parallel reforms:  1) legislation to prohibit corporations from using treasury funds for political activity without the permission of shareholders; and 2) legislation to require unions to obtain authorization from each dues-paying worker before spending those dues on activities unrelated to collective bargaining.

Require Full and Prompt Disclosure: President Bush also believes that in an open society, the best safeguard against abuse is full disclosure.  He supports full, prompt and constitutionally permissible disclosure of contributions and expenditures designed to influence the outcome of federal elections, so voters will have complete and timely information on which to make informed decisions.

Promote Fair, Balanced, Constitutional Approach: President Bush believes reform should not favor any one party over another or incumbents over challengers.  Both corporations and unions should be prohibited from giving soft money to political parties, and both corporations and unions should have to obtain permission from their stockholders or dues-paying workers before spending treasury funds or dues on politics.  President Bush supports including a non-severability provision, so if any provision of the bill is found unconstitutional, the entire bill is sent back to Congress for further adjustments and deliberations.  This provision will ensure fair and balanced campaign finance reform.

[Rome2000]

Lets not get too hysterical here, not one persons political speech will ever be stifled by this bill, no matter which way it goes.

[joyce11111]

Well, pal...you should have voted for algore...Maybe in 2004 you can vote for a Democrat.

[Rudder]

The only answer to this is to enact term limits for all political offices--why not?

[Uncle Bill]

BTTT

[Caipirabob]

The Presidential Oath Of Office:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of the President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States."

I don't see what's so difficult to understand here. CFR needs to be vetoed, but fast.

Mr. President, I still have faith you'll do the right thing. If not, hey, Texas may still be part of the United States come 2004. You'll enjoy spending more time there.

[smith288]

This isnt about voting a D or R in office, its about a man who is breaking his oath and promise to his constituency....im LIVID at this. I lost plenty of respect for him if he signs. Shows its politics over principal. UGH!

[demkicker]

"Then why even take the oath of office?"

This is too easy. It makes them look good :)

Seriously, some actually intend to do the "right" thing most of the time, but compromising or championing a cause for all the wrong reasons eventually gets the best of every last one of them.

[Uncle Bill]

BTTT

[jwalsh07]

bump

[Uncle Bill]

Bump back.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Isn't it sad that the electoral vote mattered more than the popular? Just think, we wouldn't have to worry about ANY of this had Al Gore won. Sigh.

[Centurion2000]

bump

[tomakaze]

RE:Bush is a ball-less punk. He spends money like a drunken Democrat, he kisses Mexicos arse, He lets Daschle and the Senate dictate his policies. He ought to veto this just because of what the Senate did to Pickering, but he'll be a good little gutless Rino and sign it.
 
bump

[jimkress]

If Gore had won we'd be in slavery to al Qaeda.

[Uncle Bill]

"The only answer to this is to enact term limits for all political offices"

Supporters call it campaign finance reform, but it’s really the "incumbent protection act."

Incumbent Protection