Political Quotes

“today is, in fact, an historic day. As the Senate prepares to go to final passage on the McCain-Feingold/Shays-Meehan legislation on campaign finance reform, we are taking necessary action that the American people have been seeking for years. Today's Senate action will accomplish a fundamental rewrite of our Nations Federal campaign finance laws. The Senate will approve legislation addressing what the American people believe is the single most egregious abuse of our campaign financing system, the raising and spending of unlimited and unregulated ``soft money'' in our Federal elections. The exploding use of soft money that permeates our campaign system is having a corrupting influence suggesting that large contributions by donors to officeholders, candidates, and political parties provide those donors with preferred access and influence over public policy. The average voter of average means who cannot contribute thousands of dollars to campaigns has neither the access nor influence in Washington. Even the mere appearance of corruption erodes public confidence in the integrity of our electoral process and the independence of our democracy. The use of ``soft money'' is not the only problem. This legislation is not the only answer. But it is the answer around which a majority of members could coalesce. If the Shays-Meehan legislation does nothing else but eviscerate the soft money loophole, it would still be effective and real reform.”