The
Center for Individual Freedom vigorously opposed Shays-Meehan, because
every version we saw was blatantly unconstitutional.
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Campaign
Finance Reform
Finis for Now
So-called
campaign finance reform is gone for now, except for the shouting,
the recriminations, the jockeying for positionthe 10-cent
public dance of the dwarves that denigrates most who participate.
Heres
what appears to have happened. In the last days before the scheduled
vote, the bills House sponsors were out selling amendments
to get votes"perfecting" and "refining"
the bill in the euphemisms of Washington. The end product was thus
considerably different from that which had been through the committee
process.
The
House Rules Committee, which sets the rules for all bills debated
on the floor, adopted a rule that would have forced consideration
of each of the component parts of the revised bill. Since most members
of the House had never read the original bill, much less the new
amendments, the rule was as responsible as it was a hardball tactic,
the equivalent of making Johnny show his homework in class for all
to see.
If
the bills proponents did not have the votes for the original
bill in its totality, it is inconceivable that they would have them
once some of the details were exposed. Thus, led by House Minority
Leader Richard Gephardt, supplemented by intensive lobbying efforts
by Senator John McCain, the bills proponents corralled enough
votes to kill the rule that would have undoubtedly killed the legislation,
ending the process for now.
The
Center for Individual Freedom vigorously opposed McCain-Feingold,
the original Senate bill, as well as Shays-Meehan, the House derivative.
We did so because every version we saw was blatantly unconstitutional,
a denial of the free speech rights of all Americans individually
and collectively.
We
have mixed feelings about the outcome. It is right and proper for
the legislative process to end unconstitutional legislation. It
should have ended this sooner, for that substantive reason. On the
other hand, in light of the disregard by the bills proponents
for the constitutional issues, and the support of much of the media,
which should know better, we would have been happier to have the
U.S. Supreme Court make the ultimate decision, ending this attack
on the Constitution more definitively.
Because
we do not underestimate those who would manipulate the system their
way, we may yet get that chance.
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