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March Madness is almost over. No, I don't mean the NCAA
basketball tournament (Go Terps!). I mean the so-called
campaign finance reform bill working its way through the holiest
of holy sites in the United States: the U.S. Senate
Chamber.
I am constantly amazed how the elite of this country continue to
impress themselves. The biggest news over the past week is
how impressed the media and the senators have been about having
a good old-fashioned debate. They're actually debating!
Congratulations to them. The tide has turned and the
bitterness is over. Civility reigns. We should get
down on our knees and thank the Lord Almighty for ending the
petty, partisanship of the most exclusive club in the world.
The Senate has come together to debate an issue. We should
be proud.
Nonsense.
The media missed the problem. The Senate is debating an
undebatable issue. The very fact that the Senate has taken up
the McCain-Feingold bill is a disgrace. Over 200 years ago
our founders had this debate and the result was the First
Amendment to the Constitution. Our current leadership
seems to have forgotten this.
The right to freely petition and lobby our government, the right
to think and express those views are the most fundamental rights
a person can have. Hence, the first Congress made it the first
constitutional amendment. Without the right to petition our
government we can forget the right to bear arms, a speedy trial,
reasonable doubt before conviction and MTV Spring Break every
day, all day throughout the spring.
The McCain-Feingold legislation is the elite's way to return us
to the aristocracy of inherited wealth, not a society run by
those who actually work.
True campaign finance reform would reinforce our rights to
petition our government not regulate our ability to do so.
So let me take just a few points and demonstrate:
1. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Russ
Feingold (D-WI) and their fellow socialists want to ban soft
money. (Soft money is money, which flows into political
parties and issue advocacy groups unregulated by Uncle Sam.) In
other words, McCain, Feingold & Co. want to know who you're
supporting and by how much so when they win they can use the
heavy-hand of government to retaliate. They do not want
you to contribute to causes you believe in without their stamp
of approval. Mr. Stalin your table.
2. Our senators want to require television
stations to give them reduced sales charges for campaign ads.
Joe Smith's Car Dealership pays full price for the ad, but Joe
Smith for Congress gets a discount. Hmmm. NBC just became
a new public broadcasting station.
3. Liberals believe that money corrupts
politics and that's why there must be a limit to the amount an
individual can contribution to a candidate. But if a poorer
candidate who must fundraise runs against a self-financing
candidate, they want contribution limits to increase. So
in their minds, the money a candidate raises against Steve
Forbes or John Corzine is less corrupting than money raised to
run against some poor shmuck.
4. These heaven-sent angels on high also don't
believe that individuals should be able to attack a candidate
within 60 days of an election. That should speak for
itself.
True campaign finance reform would return our First Amendment
rights back to us. We would repeal the Federal Election
Commission. We would repeal the limits on contributions
and we would not require public disclosure of
contributions.
But what about the buying of our leaders by the evil corporate
powers or by foreign governments? When allegations of
foreign contributions or bribery arose, the Justice Department
could then begin an investigation. Those
found guilty should be prosecuted.
But this irresponsible legislation says to the world our leaders
can't be trusted. If laws to curtail our ability to
monetarily support a candidate aren't on the books they might
accept a bribe. Shame on them. They are denying us
our First Amendment rights to free speech because they don't
trust themselves.
Anyone who votes for this so-called campaign finance reform
deserves to be voted out of office. This vote should hang
like a scarlet letter letting all who see and hear them know
that they can't be trusted to hold the position charged to them.
But if this bill, more accurately called the Incumbent
Protection Act, becomes law, don't count on it. Strom
Thurmond won't hold the record of longest-serving senator for
long.
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