Political Quotes

“today we are at the pivotal point where long-sought meaningful campaign finance reform is finally within reach. It's been a winding journey spanning seven years. I am pleased to have been part of the quest, and proud to have been an original cosponsor of the McCain-Feingold bills since my arrival in the Senate in January 1997. It was a privilege to have been part of the two-week historic debate last March. As I remarked last year, the open and freewheeling debate on amendments in which we engaged was truly the United States Senate at its finest, and an experience I had hoped to enjoy when I sought this office. This bill isn't a magic elixir. It won't cure all ills. No one has suggested it is a gleaming pot at the end of the rainbow. Personally, I am disappointed that it doesn't include what I think is an essential ingredient of true reform: ensuring non-preemptible lowest unit broadcast rates for candidates, which this body approved overwhelmingly by a vote of 69-31 on March 21, 2001, one year ago tomorrow. Until we deal with both sides of the equation, the supply and the demand, I do not believe we will have solved the whole problem of money in politics. But this bill does go a long way to change the system set up over 27 years ago, a system which over time has been severely exploited and eroded so far beyond the intent of Congress that the levels of unregulated soft money are growing at a far faster rate than increases in hard, regulated dollar donations.”