Political Quotes

“the arguments of each of the three sponsors and proponents of this bill who have spoken here this afternoon almost take the form of what we were taught in college was a syllogism. Proposition No. 1. The people of the United States intensely dislike the present system of financing election campaigns. We see that in polls. We hear that in town meetings. We certainly read that in the editorials in the great majority of our daily newspapers. Proposition No. 2. The title of this bill is the Senate Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1996. Conclusion. We should pass this bill. People want campaign finance reform. This is campaign finance reform, therefore, it should become law. Only, incidentally, to this point in the debate has the actual content of the bill been discussed, and almost not at all have the proponents discussed the similar debate that took place more than 20 years ago that resulted in our present campaign finance law, passed on the basis of precisely the syllogism that is presented to us today. In 1974 people did not like the way in which campaigns were being financed and run. A number of Members in both Houses proposed what they called campaign finance reform, and the Congress passed it. Mr. President, one might ask Members of Congress to look at a little bit of history.…”