Reply #48: Opinion: Reform Puzzle In Congress [View All]

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Opinion


Reform puzzle in Congress



The Monitor's View Fri Apr 7, 4:00 AM ET

Why would Democrats, so keen to reform campaign finance spending four years ago, now halt at the next step? And why would Republicans, seared by lobbying scandals too hot for even tough-guy
Tom DeLay, turn cool on lobbying reform in the House, and back only a modest Senate bill?

These questions may sound puzzling, but they have a simple answer. Bluntly stated, it's the age-old temptation in Congress to put political self-interest ahead of voter-interest. As happens too often, lawmakers become more concerned with how they're going to get the money and backing to win and keep their seats, than with doing the jobs they were elected to do: represent voters without selling themselves to special interests.

Take the case of campaign finance reform. It wasn't long ago that Democrats backed a ban on unlimited campaign contributions, known as "soft money." That ban became law in 2002. But on Wednesday, most Democrats in the House refused to extend their support to closing a loophole in the law: so-called 527 groups.

The public will remember 527s as the nonprofits that bombarded the 2004 presidential race with anti-Kerry Swift Boat ads and anti-Bush National Guard ads. These groups have been spared from soft-money restrictions because they claim they're about the neutral job of voter education. But they showed their partisan colors in the last election, and donations to 527s should be regulated as campaign contributions are.

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20060407/cm_csm/ereform_1