Posted on 03/27/2002 6:23:59 PM PST by TLBSHOW
Today I have signed into law H.R. 2356, the "Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002." I believe that this legislation, although far from perfect, will improve the current financing system for Federal campaigns.
The bill reforms our system of financing campaigns in several important ways. First, it will prevent unions and corporations from making unregulated, "soft" money contri-butions -- a legislative step for which I repeatedly have called.
Often, these groups take political action without the consent of their members or shareholders, so that the influence of these groups on elections does not necessarily comport with the actual views of the individuals who comprise these organizations. This prohibition will help to right that imbalance.
Second, this law will raise the decades-old limits on giving imposed on individuals who wish to support the candidate of their choice, thereby advancing my stated principle that election reform should strengthen the role of individual citizens in the political process.
Third, this legislation creates new disclosure requirements and compels speedier compliance with existing ones, which will promote the free and swift flow of information to the public regarding the activities of groups and individuals in the political process.
I long have believed that complete and immediate disclosure of the source of campaign contributions is the best way to reform campaign finance.
These provisions of the bill will go a long way toward fixing some of the most pressing problems in campaign finance today. They will result in an election finance system that encourages greater individual participation, and provides the public more accurate and timely information, than does the present system. All of the American electorate will benefit from these measures to strengthen our democracy.
As a policy matter, I would have preferred a bill that included a provision to protect union members and shareholders from involuntary political activities undertaken by their leadership.
Individuals have a right not to have their money spent in support of candidates or causes with which they disagree, and those rights should be better protected by law. I hope that in the future the Congress and I can work together to remedy this defect of the current financing structure.
This legislation is the culmination of more than 6 years of debate among a vast array of legislators, citizens, and groups. Accordingly, it does not represent the full ideals of any one point of view.
But it does represent progress in this often-contentious area of public policy debate. Taken as a whole, this bill improves the current system of financing for Federal campaigns, and therefore I have signed it into law.
GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
March 27, 2002.
Can you believe it? Almost all the democrats voted to take Free Speech away from the American people during an election and tried to do this while a war was going on? A war that is on our soil, having been attacked here in New York and in DC during the attack on America on September 11th.
This is un-heard of in American History.
You see the american people can grasp the words Free and speech. When they find out what the democrats attempted to do using CFR to take away Free Speech. What do you think will happen to the democrats. They will be spit on as traitors.
The American people will not only praise the President and despise the democrats. They will see to it the democrats are destroyed and defeated in November.
The President thinks it should be sent to the courts to resolve his concerns and under the law he is free to do that. The court will finish it off, once and for all. He has stood up for the principal of Free Speech. Tells the American people just what the democrats tried to do and why he is going to stop it by which ever means he decides is best.
The democrats can not stand up against a Patriotic people and take Free Speech away during a time of war to save this country from people that want to kill us. Without paying a price which is to be sent so far back by the voters that they will think they are just trying to start up their party.
TLBSHOW
Better yet, will George wear a navy blue, red, grey, or baby-blue tie tomorrow? Or even more engaging...will he and Laura color-coordinate tomorrow?
He signed it, so now he's to blame for all of it.
Oh well. Never did like Bush anyway. Not when I voted for him. Not after 9/11. Not during his state of the union. Never.
I hate the Dems more, but that's about all I can say for Bush.
Signing this garbage and then hoping that the U.S. Supreme Court will revoke the bad stuff is a shaky strategy at best. Not only that, but it is the coward's way out. Perhaps we are all getting what was asked for, even I voted for Bush and now regret it.
Did you know you are being used by the demorats? Unless of course you are one. In that case you know what you are trying to do.
Asked whether he signed the bill with no fanfare because he was displeased with its contents, the Associated Press reported Bush as saying, "I wouldn't have signed it if I was really unhappy. I think this bill improves the system."
...and a fool! He is talking out of both sides of his mouth.
That is a job for Monica on Bill. LOL
I appreciated your little analogy, it was the usual vapid crowing by an obviously rabid Bush Cheerleader; I suppose you are the one at the top of the pryamid chanting "Go Team Bush" while your base is crumbling right from under you.
I will not support a President that signs bills which further erode our already dwindling constitutional rights. But you would rather complain about one half of the problem, instead of attacking the problem as whole--politicians who don't care about the Constitution or their base who elected them to office. These gutless politicians also happen to include Republicans, but you would rather only attack democrats, because your partisanship gets in the way of what is best for the country. Your current strategy is a Catch-22 and is paving the way to a slow, but sure political death.
Funny things Lemmings are, how they follow each other blindly down the slippery slope to their death, without even considering the ramifications before hand.
Did you know you are being used by scumbag establishment politicians? Unless of course you are one. In that case you know what you are trying to do.
Although still my President, he has been diminished in my eyes for not taking a more principled stand. I expected better.
Now if he signs an illegal alien amnesty, he will no longer get my vote in 2004. That is because taking two non principled stands in a row tells me he is no longer trustworthy with the office he holds.
Abrogation of free speech and an unwillingness to defend this nation from an illegal alien invasion are two extremely important items that will determine whether this Republic survives in the 21st century. If he doesn't see it, he won't be getting any support from me.
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