Goodbye 1st Admendment

[Gonzo]

Yes, we need reform. This is not it. The only thing this bill, soon to be law, is; the incumbent protection act. Remeber your local politicians on election day. Remember that they were willing to sell out YOUR 1st admendment rights. Remember that they passed a law that clearly violates their oath of office. Remember to make it clear that incumbents are not safe, especially when they forgo the COnstitution.

Amendment I
Congress shall make no law...; or abridging the freedom of speech, ...and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances

Campaign Finance Reform Passes
By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) - Congress approved the most far-reaching changes to the nation's campaign finance system since the Watergate scandals on Wednesday, sweeping aside years of gridlock to clear legislation for President Bush's signature.

Bush said he will sign the bill, though he called it "flawed in some areas." Critics attacked the bill as unconstitutional and pledged a swift court challenge.

"With the stroke of the president's pen, we will eliminate hundreds of millions of dollars of unregulated soft money that has caused Americans to question the integrity of their elected representatives," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the bill's leading advocate, said shortly before a 60-40 Senate vote that cleared the measure.

"The reforms passed today, while flawed in some areas, still improve the current system overall, and I will sign them into law," Bush said in a written statement.

The House passed the bill last month on a vote of 240-189. Bush and his team reluctantly began preparing for a signing ceremony as early as next week that will include the bill's sponsors, including his 2000 presidential primary foe McCain.

Spectators in the Senate visitors' gallery broke into applause as the vote was announced, and Sen. Russell Feingold, of Wisconsin, the chief Democratic supporter, smiled broadly as he watched from the rear of the chamber. Reps. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., and Martin Meehan, D-Mass., the leading House sponsors, crossed the Capitol to witness their triumph.

 

[Gonzo]

Senate Roll Call: Campaign Finance Reform
Following is an alphabetical listing by state of how each senator voted on the campaign finance reform bill. A "yes" vote was a vote to pass the bill. A "no" vote was a vote to defeat it. Voting "yes" were 48 Democrats, 11 Republicans, and 1 independent. Voting "no" were 38 Republicans and 2 Democrats.


Alabama Jeff Sessions (R): No Richard Shelby (R): No
Alaska Frank Murkowski (R): No Ted Stevens (R): No
Arizona Jon Kyl (R): No John McCain (R): Yes
Arkansas Tim Hutchinson (R): No Blanche Lincoln (D): Yes
California Barbara Boxer (D): Yes Dianne Feinstein (D): Yes
Colorado Wayne Allard (R): No Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R): No
Connecticut Christopher Dodd (D): Yes Joseph Lieberman (D): Yes
Delaware Joseph Biden (D): Yes Thomas Carper (D): Yes
Florida Bob Graham (D): Yes Bill Nelson (D): Yes
Georgia Max Cleland (D): Yes Zell Miller (D): Yes
Hawaii Daniel Akaka (D): Yes Daniel Inouye (D): Yes
Idaho Larry Craig (R): No Mike Crapo (R): No
Illinois Richard Durbin (D): Yes Peter Fitzgerald (R): Yes
Indiana Evan Bayh (D): Yes Richard Lugar (R): Yes
Iowa Charles Grassley (R): No Tom Harkin (D): Yes
Kansas Sam Brownback (R): No Pat Roberts (R): No
Kentucky Jim Bunning (R): No Mitch McConnell (R): No
Louisiana John Breaux (D): No Mary Landrieu (D): Yes
Maine Susan Collins (R): Yes Olympia Snowe (R): Yes
Maryland Barbara Mikulski (D): Yes Paul Sarbanes (D): Yes
Massachusetts Edward Kennedy (D): Yes John Kerry (D): Yes
Michigan Debbie Stabenow (D): Yes Carl Levin (D): Yes
Minnesota Mark Dayton (D): Yes Paul Wellstone (D): Yes
Mississippi Thad Cochran (R): Yes Trent Lott (R): No
Missouri Jean Carnahan (D): Yes Christopher (Kit) Bond (R): No
Montana Max Baucus (D): Yes Conrad Burns (R): No
Nebraska Chuck Hagel (R): No Ben Nelson (D): No
Nevada Richard Bryan (D): Yes John Ensign (R): No
New Hampshire Judd Gregg (R): No Bob Smith (R): No
New Jersey Jon Corzine (D): Yes Robert Torricelli (D): Yes
New Mexico Jeff Bingaman (D): Yes Pete Domenici (R): Yes
New York Hillary Clinton (D): Yes Charles Schumer (D): Yes
North Carolina John Edwards (D): Yes Jesse Helms (R): No
North Dakota Kent Conrad (D): Yes Byron Dorgan (D): Yes
Ohio Mike DeWine (R): No George Voinovich (R): No
Oklahoma James Inhofe (R): No Don Nickles (R): No
Oregon Gordon Smith (R): No Ron Wyden (D): Yes
Pennsylvania Rick Santorum (R): No Arlen Specter (R): Yes
Rhode Island Lincoln Chafee (R): Yes Jack Reed (D): Yes
South Carolina Ernest "Fritz" Hollings (D): Yes Strom Thurmond (R): No
South Dakota Thomas Daschle (D): Yes Tim Johnson (D): Yes
Tennessee Bill Frist (R): No Fred Thompson (R): Yes
Texas Phil Gramm (R): No Kay Bailey Hutchison (R): No
Utah Robert Bennett (R): No Orrin Hatch (R): No
Vermont James Jeffords (I): Yes Patrick Leahy (D): Yes
Virginia George Allen (R): No John Warner (R): Yes
Washington Maria Cantwell (D): Yes Patty Murray (D): Yes
West Virginia Robert Byrd (D): Yes Jay Rockefeller (D): Yes
Wisconsin Russell Feingold (D): Yes Herb Kohl (D): Yes
Wyoming Mike Enzi (R): No Craig Thomas (R): No



© 2002 The Washington Post Company

 

[Gonzo]

The bill would end political parties' ability to collect "soft money" donations, which totaled nearly $500 million in 2000. In an effort to curb thinly veiled attack ads by outside groups, it also would limit "issue ads" that target specific candidates just before elections.

Historic or not, the battle over the bill – one of the most controversial of the past decade – is not over. Leading opponents and their allies in various outside groups vowed to challenge the measure in court as a violation of free-speech guarantees in the Constitution. With some limits, courts have ruled that campaign contributions are a form of expression.

 

[s4]

I always vote against Richard Durbin. I don't know anything about Peter Fitzgerald.

 

[Neo]

I just heard on the news while bush feels its not what it should be he is gonna sign it.

 

[PostCode]

Gordon Smith (R)

Putz

 

[Gonzo]

Gordon Smith (R)

Putz

at least he voted correctly