Duncan Faircloth: “I believe we need campaign finance reform, but the McCain-Feingold amendment is not the right approach at this time. I…”

“I believe we need campaign finance reform, but the McCain-Feingold amendment is not the right approach at this time. I will say that I am disappointed that many of the people advocating reform are defending people who couldn't live under the laws we already have. Perhaps the best reform that we can make immediately would be for candidates to live within the laws we have now. Clearly this Administration did not do this in 1996. I am disturbed by two provisions. First, the naked attempt to muzzle the free speech of citizens who want to advocate on behalf of a candidate. This 'reform' would limit the free speech of all American citizens. I hardly see that as being 'reform.' We put too many limits on our citizens now, we cannot restrict their right to participate in the political process. Second, this bill does nothing to stop the loophole that unions have exploited for years to advocate their political positions. It does nothing to stop the practice of labor unions taking the dues from hard working citizens and spending millions of dollars on ads to defeat candidates. Why is it that the people who advocate reform will not permit union members to keep their well-earned money and spend it as they wish? Why do they oppose a separate, voluntary means for using the dues of union members? Regrettably, the answer is that the so-called reform advocates want to keep the liberal ads coming in waves, and cut off the political speech of others.”