President Signs CFR Act, Statement by the President 3/27/2002

whitehouse ^ | 3/27/2002 | President George W. Bush

[TLBSHOW]

President Signs Campaign Finance Reform Act

Statement by the President

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.

However, the bill does have flaws. Certain provisions present serious constitutional concerns. In particular, H.R. 2356 goes farther than I originally proposed by preventing all individuals, not just unions and corporations, from making donations to political parties in connection with Federal elections.

I believe individual freedom to participate in elections should be expanded, not diminished; and when individual freedoms are restricted, questions arise under the First Amendment.

I also have reservations about the constitutionality of the broad ban on issue advertising, which restrains the speech of a wide variety of groups on issues of public import in the months closest to an election. I expect that the courts will resolve these legitimate legal questions as appropriate under the law.

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.

[Mulder]

However, despite rumors, Chicken Little, the sky is not falling.

No. The Constitution is just being pissed on by tyrants of both parties.

[TLBSHOW]

HERE IT IS THE RAT PLAN AND MANY HAVE FALLEN FOR IT

to depress turnout by rightist voters, by inducing apathy through disillusion

How can Enron best be used by the left in the forthcoming general election? In two ways. First, to lend a generally criminal air to Republican fundraising, and fundraising by Bush in particular. Second, to depress turnout by rightist voters, by inducing apathy through disillusion.

to depress turnout by rightist voters, by inducing apathy through disillusion

[patriciaruth]

His "tough call" that you describe, has lost favor with many,

One of the reasons why it was a tough call.

The only thing putting a smile on Gore's face is the bickering their CFR bill has caused among the Republicans, which was its sole and only reason for existing.

[Texasforever]

Figures YOU'd be on here defending Bush...how much money do you earn for doing so, or do you do it for free, which indicates a MAJOR lack of self-respect?

LOL. How is that bunker coming along?

[patriciaruth]

You got it. They know how to push the buttons. They are masters at propaganda.

[Mulder]

to depress turnout by rightist voters, by inducing apathy through disillusion

The dems don't have the power to depress "rightist" turnout.

Only Bush and the GOP leadership can do that, and they are doing a damn fine job of it so far.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

"to depress turnout by rightist voters, by inducing apathy through disillusion"

That is the craziest conspiracy theory I have heard for a while. I don't see this making us more "right" conservatives apathetic, but more politically active in 3rd parties, such as the U.S. Constitution Party.

[patriciaruth]

Keyes was the smartest candidate.

And absolutely, completely UNELECTABLE!

[TLBSHOW]

You are snookered. or a rat!

[Commie Basher]

Don't worry, many here are false posters, as in demorat plants

Yeah, you tell yourself that. Everybody loves Bush. Same as they loved Bush Sr. in 1992. Bush Sr. didn't even actively campaign until the last couple of months. He just kinda sleep-walked, assuming everything was fine.

Even in August, he was saying: "Oh boy, I just can't wait to get in the debate and tell the American people..."

But he did wait to campaign, and lost.

Something about the Bushies, bluebloods blind to mass discontent. Imagining they are loved. Sorta like Louis XVI.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Only because people like you say he is.

[patriciaruth]

more politically active in 3rd parties, such as the U.S. Constitution Party.

Ah, you're a Perot kool-aid drinker. We have your purist ethics to thank for eight years of Clinton?

[Buckeroo]

I believe in principle first; especially by elected representatives here in America. It is a shame they eat RAT poisioning while holding office as GWB did today. Moreover, it is ashame you are waiting to gobble his excreament from that early morning meal.

[Texasforever]

Keyes was the smartest candidate during the 2000 elections and probably the only one who had actually read the U.S. Constitution in the last month

He had ample opportunity to win the nomination. He was in every debate, and he had a lot of TV face time since the media just loved to use him and McCain to go after Bush and both did with zest and glee. Now tell me, what happened?

[TLBSHOW]

Think about it? Long and hard. That is the plan the democrats have hatched. Like it or not, you are being played for fools.

"to depress turnout by rightist voters, by inducing apathy through disillusion"

[toenail]

Bush, during the address to Congress:

---

"I ask you to uphold the values of America, and remember why so many have come here. We are in a fight for our principles, and our first responsibility is to live by them."

"Americans are asking, why do they hate us? They hate what we see right here in this chamber -- a democratically elected government. Their leaders are self-appointed. They hate our freedoms -- our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other."

"This is not, however, just America's fight. And what is at stake is not just America's freedom. This is the world's fight. This is civilization's fight. This is the fight of all who believe in progress and pluralism, tolerance and freedom."

"As long as the United States of America is determined and strong, this will not be an age of terror; this will be an age of liberty, here and across the world."

"I will not forget this wound to our country or those who inflicted it. I will not yield; I will not rest; I will not relent in waging this struggle for freedom and security for the American people.

The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome is certain. Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty, have always been at war, and we know that God is not neutral between them."

---

Liar.

[hchutch]

I agree. Frankly, however, I fear that the plan would have succeeded despite everything done to explain it.

Sadly, I will have to wage political war against some fellow Freepers to ensure that we do not get saddled with another President Clinton, if only to keep them from sending everything I stand for to a political graveyard for the sake of ideological purity disguised as principle.

I'll give this a chance to calm down over a couple of weeks, but if they are determined to throw the baby out with the bathwater, then I will fight tooth and nail to prevent that, no matter who gets angry over it.

[Commie Basher]

who cares about the inability to advertise for 60 days before an election.

Sure. Let the media determine the coverage, the agenda, the spin.

What brilliant thinking from Bush and his supporters!

[Howlin]

JUST FOR YOU

[Mulder]

And absolutely, completely UNELECTABLE!

People said the same thing about a guy named Reagan.

Here's the way the RINO's think:

1) Anyone except for the RINO is "unelectable"
2) If liberals criticize the RINO, the RINO must "moderate" his positions
3) If conservatives criticize the RINO, they are extremists, nutcases, losers, etc....
4) Conservatives are good to have around during the campaign since they do all the "leg work" (such as making signs, working phone banks, etc....) but should shut up after the election.