[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 74 (Thursday, May 20, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H3398]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    THE HISTORY OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE

  (Mr. SCHAFFER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to respond to the vacuous 
bleatings of my esteemed colleagues on the liberal side of the aisle 
who invoke campaign finance reform as their latest slogan.
  How truly audacious for the very people who created the current 
campaign finance reform to now self-righteously proclaim their outrage 
at the way the government makes crooks out of the truly honest people 
among us.
  Just what is it about the liberal mindset that allows them to avoid 
responsibility for so many of their bad ideas and failed initiatives?
  Consider the history of campaign finance. The liberals imposed 
absurdly low limits on the participation of Americans in the political 
process. It is truly amazing how this has resulted in things that were 
entirely predictable.
  What happened? Politicians were then forced to spend almost all their 
time raising money, and of course money then found other ways into the 
political process through soft money, through issue advocacy, and, dare 
I mention, through the Chinese Communist friends of the White House. 
And of course this money, unlike direct contributions, lacks full 
disclosure, which is an invitation to corruption.
  Why are Democrats not talking about that?

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