Senator John McCain of Arizona is running for President. One of his key issues is campaign finance reform. While most Americans want campaigns to be reformed, few paid any attention to McCain’s recent legislation.
The reason isn’t voter apathy, but voter common sense.
Career politicians have been promising to reform elections for decades. Every time they pass so-called reforms the problems get worse, not better. Incumbents win more easily and fewer challengers can effectively wage campaigns against them.
On the Senate floor, McCain claimed “we are all corrupt.” He admitted he was “guilty of the appearance of corruption” for taking money from those with interests before the Senate Commerce Committee, which McCain chairs.
Yet, eight of the top 10 contributors to his presidential campaign have major issues before his committee. To that, McCain said he had no choice but to take the money if he wanted to compete for the presidency. In other words, everybody does it.
A lobbyist whose firm donated to McCain said, “He acts like he’s entitled to it. He sees no connection between twisting our arms for money and then talking about how corrupt the system is.” Congressmen who claim certain contributions are corrupting and yet take them anyway are like those who attack career politicians but refuse to limit their own time in Congress phonies.
Ghandi once said, “We must become the changes we seek.” That’s a nice way of saying “put up or shut up.”
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.