Russ Feingold: “The article, of course, lays out the arguments about the issue of union dues. In fact, as is the practice of USA Today…”

“The article, of course, lays out the arguments about the issue of union dues. In fact, as is the practice of USA Today, they give an opportunity to the majority leader to respond within the article. But the subheadline sort of says it all. "As in the past, those in power are trying to kill campaign-finance reform without taking the rap." Mr. President, at this time I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record an article from the Washington Post by David S. Broder entitled "Campaign Finance: A `Poison Pill'* * *." There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: [From the Washington Post, Oct. 5, 1997] Campaign Finance: A "Poison Pill". . . (By David S. Broder) From Capitol Hill to California, conservatives claim to have found a new weapon for their arsenal--a device to disarm labor unions and put Democrats on the defensive. But it is a weapon that can produce a dangerous backlash. The device is wonderfully simple: a legal requirement that workers give written permission before unions can use their dues for political purposes. In Washington, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) this week will try to attach such an amendment to the pending campaign finance reform bill.…”