John Doolittle: “there is clearly a major difference of opinion about the Shays-Meehan bill and what it does. And those of us who have…”

“there is clearly a major difference of opinion about the Shays-Meehan bill and what it does. And those of us who have taken the floor in opposition have opposition for very principled reasons. They support it for principled reasons. But I think one thing is clear that they basically, by the wording of their bill, are going to wipe out the voter guides. That is why we have got about four dozen organizations spanning the whole ideological spectrum, from the American Civil Liberties Union to the American Conservative Union and everything in between, claiming that this so-called exemption for voter guides in Shays-Meehan is 'bogus.' And it is bogus. It is bogus because it deliberately blurs the bright line that the Supreme Court handed down in the famous Buckley case in which it has been repeatedly reaffirmed. When we read that case we see why they gave us a bright line, because it is very difficult to separate issue discussion from advocacy of election or defeat of a candidate. They did not want to chill free speech. That is why they gave us the bright line. That is why they said we had to be clear and unambiguous in urging the election or defeat of a candidate, using words such as 'elect' or 'defeat' or 'support' or 'oppose', et cetera. Shays-Meehan, basically in the name of good government, subverts the first amendment. What could be more clear than the first amendment, which says Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech?”