President Bush Outlines Campaign Reform Principles

The Whitehouse ^ | March 15, 2001 (One year ago) | George W. Bush

[Jim Robinson]

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

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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.

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Return to this article at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/03/20010315-7.html

[Texasforever]

Can Bush take out what he does not want in the bill, leave the rest and then sign it?

No, the line item veto was ruled unconstitutional.

[Uncle Bill]

"No I busted your ass and you are not man enough to admit it. Tell me the other two "lies".

Get serious. You think I'm lying now? LOL! You can't read? Let's try this again. I'll move my mouth real sloooooow.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF GEORGE W. BUSH

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

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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

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George W. Bush: No Amnesty for Immigrants - "There's going to be no amnesty"

Bush Administration Wants to Extend Immigration "Amnesty"

President Bush yesterday called on the Senate to pass a bill that would grant amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens

Darkness By Design For Amnesty Move

[swheats]

Would that we were as tenacious and vicious as they are.

[Texasforever]

One year before his letter to Lott and one month after he published his own CFR plan that is identicle to his principles in the LOtt letter. Reagan considered his lack of a line item veto "unconstitutional" however he NEVER unilaterally tested it by using it. Did Reagan violate his oath? Did Reagan violate his oath by having his DOJ defend challenges to Roe v Wade in the courts? Did Reagan violate his oath by not disbanding the IRS? Did Reagan violate his oath by pushing for and signing a blanket amnesty? Did Reagan violate his oath by defending the CFR that was in effect while he was in office? When Bush gave that interview he was a candidate in a pitched battle with McCain. He was given a hypothetical question and he answered it. But to call it a lie is just a convenient ploy of those with an agenda. I have been around here long enough to know yours. I am just amazed that there are rational people around here that have joined you in your lunacy.

[Texasforever]

I'm trying. LOL

[TLBSHOW]

vicious lolrof

[TLBSHOW]

Do you think he will veto it?

[Uncle Bill]

I am amazed, you still don't think he lied Texasforever? Seriously, you really don't think he lied? Amazing. George W. Bush lied. Stop torturing yourself. You've still got a good approval rating. Americans think CFR is a venereal disease.

[Uncle Bill]

This is what George W. Bush should do. Will he?

[Texasforever]

I am amazed, you still don't think he lied Texasforever? Seriously, you really don't think he lied? Amazing. George W. Bush lied. Stop torturing yourself. You've still got a good approval rating. Americans think CFR is a venereal disease.

No.

[TLBSHOW]

Q Ari, campaign finance is getting ready to pass the Senate. Will the President sign this specific bill?

MR. FLEISCHER: When and if it passes the Senate, and I anticipate that it will, you'll have a written statement by the President answering that question.

[Texasforever]

Do you think he will veto it?

No.

[TLBSHOW]

I think he will.

[swheats]

Yes you are and I'm cheering you on. Bush seems to take most criticism in stride. He has a way of keeping all eyes on him to see what he's going to do next. 535 men and women in the House and 100 men and women in our Senate and who has all the attention. One man George "Dubya" Bush.

Determination, no matter what the critics say. He's man enough to admit he's made a rash judgement if need be.

my favorite "eyes on the prize". photo:stephen crowley the new york times

[swheats]

Yea I thought so too, but I definately wouldn't want to misquote a fellow freeper. Tenacity has it merits.

[Uncle Bill]

"Q Ari, campaign finance is getting ready to pass the Senate. Will the President sign this specific bill?

"MR. FLEISCHER: When and if it passes the Senate, and I anticipate that it will, you'll have a written statement by the President answering that question."

You haven't given me a source or date, so I can only respond as I have all along.

The Senate passed it.

Campaign Finance Reform Passes Senate

And Bush said he will sign it. A written statement.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF GEORGE W. BUSH

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

That answers the question for me.

He's not going to lie again and sign it is he?

[foreverfree]

bump

[TLBSHOW]

Campaign finance reform would hurt Republicans

BUSH [to McCain]: Your call for campaign finance reform will hurt conservatives & the Republican Party.

Judges should interpret Constitution, not legislate

[Quicksilver]

He did not lie, and he is not a liar. You, on the other hand, have posted excerpts out of context; while that's not a lie, it is misleading.

[hchutch]

And I'm telling you that you will lose everything that you believe in if Blagojevich wins. But you will go your own way. Don't say I didn't warn you.