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Campaign reform or incumbent protection?Take a hard look and ask who is fooling
who
John Stossel at Real Clear Politics asks all the right
questions.
McCain-Feingold makes it illegal for individuals to buy an ad that names a candidate within 60 days of an election. "'Reformers' want elections to be the private preserve of the political class," snorted Ed Crane of the Cato Institute. He's right. And they're succeeding. They've gamed the system so nearly every incumbent is reelected. Only an unusually well-funded candidate can challenge the establishment. In 1968, Eugene McCarthy drove Lyndon Johnson from office with the help of funds from rich liberals like Steward Mott. Today, McCarthy's campaign would be illegal. Campaign finance reform or, rather, establishment politicians' protection acts, has eliminated such challengers. Various laws prohibit those of us who aren't running for office from buying ads before an election to criticize those who are. The Sierra Club can no longer call a politician a polluter. In Wisconsin, an anti-abortion group could run ads mentioning Sen. Herb Kohl, but not Sen. Russ Feingold, because Feingold was up for election. Too bad -- ads about Feingold and others running for office might actually hold them responsible. A federal judge has ordered the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to regulate the Internet, which FEC chairman Bradley Smith warned might even lead to regulating blogs that link to candidates' websites. "Political activity is more heavily regulated than at any time in our nation's history," Smith told the president in his letter of resignation. Of course I am concerned with the direction that campaign finance reform is taking. But I am more concerned with the blatant attacks on free speech, all for "our own protection." When politicos tell you that they are limiting your possible choices, they are saying that they do not trust you to make the "proper" choice. If they don't trust you, why should you trust them? 
Posted: Wed - November 2, 2005 at 06:07 AM
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 Pagan Vigil
Pagan philosopher, libertarian, and part-time trouble maker, NeoWayland watches for threats to individual freedom or personal responsiblity. There's more to life than just black and white, using only extremes just increases the problems.  My Thinking Blogger Nominees
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