James A. Leach: “Campaign reform is the most pressing democratic issue facing the Nation. In politics as in sports, how the game is…”

“Campaign reform is the most pressing democratic issue facing the Nation. In politics as in sports, how the game is played matters. A government of the people, by the people, and for the people cannot be a government where influence is disproportionately wrought by those with large campaign war chests. Lord Acton once wrote that power corrupts and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely. A fitting corollary to the Acton dictum is the precept that even more bedeviling than aspiring to power is fear of losing it. The current system is an incumbent-based political monopoly that rewards those who accommodate rather than stand up to interest groups. Campaign reform is about empowering citizens rather than influence peddlers. It is the equivalent of applying the antitrust laws to the political parties. It should be advanced. In this regard, there are a number of thoughtful approaches that will be brought to the floor in this debate. My preference is for the Shays-Meehan bill, but I acknowledge that it has flaws, the biggest of which is it does not go far enough. I would have preferred it to be accompanied by spending limits and greater restraints on political action committees, the so-called PACs. Nevertheless, I think Shays-Meehan is probably the most that can be achieved this year, and I am hopeful it, or something near it, will be the final product.”