Mullings A Political Cyber Column By Rich Galen

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It's Not the Money, It's the Principle

Wednesday, March 28, 2001

Campaign finance reform; restructuring taxes; stock market ups and downs; government spending. Suddenly there are more accountants and clerks running around Your Nation's Capital than in a Charles Dickens novel.

The McCain-Feingold thing got a boost yesterday when the Senate turned back a substitute bill by Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) which would have institutionalized soft money and moved a good deal of its effects to state party organizations.

The Professional Punditry had determined that the Democrats in the Senate might well vote against McCain-Feingold for fear of its actually becoming law. But yesterday they signaled their intention to vote for it to make President Bush veto whatever comes out of the House and thus be the bad guy.

President Bush, in his turn, sent a signal, that he might be perfectly happy to sign a bill banning soft money thereby tossing the warm spud right back to the Senate Democrats.

Methinks we see the fine hand of Karl Rove in this one.

Three Democratic Senators - Dick Durbin (Illinois), Max Cleland (Georgia), and Max Baucus (Montana) - the last two, founding member of the Senate Max Caucus (Representative Waters is seeking membership on the House side) have, according to Republican Senatorial Committee sources, each formed a committee which allows them to raise both hard AND soft money.

Hypocrisy: (Noun). 1. the false assumption of an appearance of virtue. 2. Saying one thing while doing another. Does not apply to elected federal officials generally, or United States Senators in particular.

Will Lester, writing for the Associated Press: "Democrats plan to spend $13 million to increase the party's chances in the crucial but unpredictable redistricting of the House of Representatives -- a lengthy, complex process where Republicans feel they have the advantage."

Here's the best part: "Democratic National Chairman Terry McAuliffe pledged money, Tuesday, to both congressional and state legislative redistricting. The cash will be raised by direct requests from the national party, House Minority leader Dick Gephardt of Missouri and redistricting leader Rep. Martin Frost of Texas, as well as by fund-raising events in the late spring and early summer."

This money? This money for redistricting? Would that be soft � money?

See a brief, but useful, summary of redistricting issues on the Secret Decoder Ring

More money stuff. On Larry Klayman's Judicial Watch cable show, I was asked why the sudden reappearance of The MSS Hillary. She took out after President Bush's carbon dioxide position saying he was turning back the clock 50 years.

Here's the answer: I predict the aforementioned Terry McAuliffe has a fundraising letter prepared, edited, at the printer, ready to be stamped and mailed, signed by (ta da!) the junior Senator from New York.

Her popping her head up was, I suspect, a predicate for a fund raising appeal.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) is running everywhere trying to sell his $300 rebate. Remember that stupid press conference that Daschle and House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt held a month ago saying the Bush tax plan would allow rich people to buy a Lexus but would only pay for a muffler for low income working people? Remember?

I looked up the price of a Lexus Muffler. Guess what? $579.95. Plus labor. Daschle's tax rebate would buy less than half a muffler. It would, however, buy a whole muffler for a four cylinder Accord ($325.95).

Don't you hate it when a too-cute-by-half press event comes back to bite you in the, er, exhaust pipe?

Another horrible school shooting the other day. Another several hours of team coverage and live views from hovering helicopters. The Mothers Against Drunk Driving web site has this horrifying stat: In 1998 (the last year for which statistics are listed) 2,104 young people 16-20 were killed in traffic accidents involving drinking.

That's more than five kids killed every single day. Weekdays and weekends. School days and holidays. 117 percent of the total student population of Columbine High School. Every year.

There is no minimizing this business of parents who let their kids bring guns to school, but maybe we should demand at least the same level of outrage at parents who let their kids get into the liquor cabinet.

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Copyright © 2001 Richard A. Galen

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