Russ Feingold: “But it has become clear that one thing that this Congress will not do before it adjourns is pass meaningful campaign…”

“But it has become clear that one thing that this Congress will not do before it adjourns is pass meaningful campaign finance reform. Today I want to serve notice that this fight is not over. If the people of Wisconsin in their wisdom send me back to this chamber next year, the Senate will hear about campaign finance reform again and vote on campaign finance reform again because our democracy has been made sick by the corrupting influence of big money, and the future of our country is at stake. And Mr. President, this fight will continue regardless of what I say. Because the fight for campaign finance reform is bigger than any one Senator or any one political party. It is as big as the idea of representative democracy itself, and just as resilient. This is a fight for the soul and the survival of our American democracy. This democracy cannot survive without the confidence of the people in the legislative and the electoral process. The prevalence--no--the dominance--of money in our system of elections and our legislature will in the end cause them to crumble. If we don't take steps to clean up this system it ultimately will consume us along with our finest American ideals.”