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The Media Is A Special Interest By Any Definition

Campaign Reform? / I Call It Fraud!
Section 431(9)(B)(i) makes a distinction where there is no real difference: the media is extremely powerful by any measure, a "special interest" by any definition, and heavily engaged in the "issue advocacy" and "independent expenditure" realms of political persuasion that most editorial boards find so objectionable when anyone other than a media outlet engages in it. To illustrate the absurdity of this special exemption the media enjoys, I frequently cite as an example the fact that if the RNC bought NBC from GE the FEC would regulate the evening news and, under the McCain-Feingold "reform" bill, Tom Brokaw could not mention a candidate 60 days before an election. This is patently absurd.

Had the Senate debate on the McCain-Feingold bill advanced to the point of amendments, among the first I offered would have been one to delete section 431(9)(B)(i). Whenever the opportunity presents itself in the future, I look forward to doing just that. I believe it would be an enlightening discussion. Indeed, the issue was frequently raised during the floor debates in 1997 and 1998 and helped to crystallize for Senators and the C-SPAN viewing audience that the campaign finance debate is, indeed, a discussion of core constitutional freedom." Excerpt from Mitch McConnell's July 8, 1998 letter to his constituent

http://amendment10.tripod.com/mitch4.htm

"The First Amendment of the Constitution, enacted over two hundred years ago, is America's premier political reform:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

That is a powerful statement and should be the touchstone of all campaign finance reform efforts. The First Amendment ensures that, among other things, citizens can participate in politics through publicly disclosed contributions to the campaigns of their choice. It also allows citizens to spend their own money, independent of any candidate, to influence election outcomes via letters-to-the-editor, pamphlets and even expensive television advertisements. And the First Amendment gives billionaires the freedom to spend as much of their money as they want to in support of their own candidacy -- whether you or I happen to like it or not. This is simply not my opinion, it has long been the position of the Supreme Court. Political speech enjoys more constitutional protection than commercial speech." Excerpt from October 18, 1996 letter from Mitch McConnell to his constituent

Until the "corporate press" exemption is addressed, the ombudsman at the newspaper office acts as the gatekeeper of free political speech. If the newspaper prints your political comments about an issue or candidate, your advocacy may reach a circulation of hundreds of thousands and you enjoy the same exemption from campaign finance spending limits and reporting requirements as the Lexington Herald Leader or Louisville's Courier-Journal.

If the newspaper rejects your article and you decide to deliver your message door to door via handbills, you need to visit the Federal Election Commission and familiarize yourself with terms like: political action committee (PAC), independent Vs in-Kind donations, issue Vs express advocacy, spending limits, reporting intervals and coordination with a candidates campaign. If that isn't daunting enough to discourage you from participating, remember failure to comply with Campaign Finance Laws is punishable as a felony.

Campaign finance reform is about insuring only the "right" people get to participate in opinion making. It usurps the right of the people to participate in their process and flies in the face of the 1st Amendment. Freedom of the press is and individual right. The Bill of Rights was not written to guarantee rights to corporations .. news or otherwise.

Posted by: Repeal   Posted on: 01/18/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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