After a 10-day recess in mid-February, Congress returned to tackle a few of the pending major issues that have been subjected to heavy bipartisan views. The House passed its version of a campaign reform bill that sought to define the limitations of “hard” and “soft” money contributions. In the provisions of this bill, large, unregulated soft money donations would be banned by corporations, unions and individuals. Their deliberations brought to mind what an unknown wag once said: “It doesn’t make any difference if you are rich or poor as long as you have money.” That can be easily paraphrased: “It doesn’t make any difference if the money is hard or soft, as long as there is money.” According to watchdog group Public Citizen, more than $15 million went to 527 groups that can accept unlimited donations and did not, until recently, have to disclose the names of donors. Most of that money came from 27 major industries that gave at least $100,000 each.
For some time the Senate has had its own version of a campaign-reform bill on the table. When the bill came to the floor early last month, the Senate Republicans indulged in a filibuster and a vote to end it failed. The net result is that the Senate will have to set that bill aside and consider other legislation while the pros and cons are debated and, one hopes, resolved.
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