American politics is held hostage by big money
interests. Members of Congress now collect more
than $2.5 million in campaign funds every week
while Political Action Committees, industry
lobbies, and cliques of $100,000 donors buy access
to Congress and the White House.
George Bush recently vetoed the 1992 Campaign
Finance Reform Bill in order to protect the special
interest that support him. American pay for this
system in decreased environmental and worker safety
regulations, increased health care costs, and
weakened consumer regulations.
Bill Clinton and Al Gore believe it's long past
time to clean up Washington. As part of their plan
to fight the cynicism that is gripping the American
people, Bill Clinton and Al gore will support and
sign strong campaign finance reform legislation to
bring down the cost of campaigning and encourage
real competition.
We can't go four more years without a plan to take
away power form the entrenched bureaucracies and
special interests that dominate Washington.
The Clinton/Gore Plan
* Place voluntary spending caps on House and
Senate Races, depending on a state's
population. These caps will level the playing
field and encourage challengers to enter the
race.
* Limit political action committee (PAC)
contributions to the $1000 legal limit for
individuals.
* Reduce the cost to television air time to
promote real discussion and turn TV into an
instrument of education, not a weapon of
political assassination.
* Eliminate tax deductions for special interest
lobbying expenses and the "lawyer' loophole,"
which allows lawyer-lobbyists to disguise
lobbying activities on behalf of foreign
governments and powerful corporations.
* Require lobbyists who appear before
Congressional committees to disclose the
campaign contributions they've made to members
of those committees. The public has a right
to know when moneyed interests are trying
influence elected officials in Washington.
* End the unlimited "soft" money contributions
that are funneled through national, state, and
local parties to Presidential candidates.
The Record
* In the face of legislative resistance and
powerful opposition form special interests,
Governor Clinton spearheaded a successful
citizen's initiative to adopt an Ethics and
Lobbyist Disclosure Act which requires
professional lobbyists to disclose the amount
of money they spend to influence public
officials, and public officials to disclose
information about their income and financial
holdings.
* Senator Gore voted for the Senate Elections
Ethics Act which establishes spending limits
on Senate campaigns, prohibits Federal office
holders and candidates from raising "soft
money," eliminates "leadership PACs," and
encourages cleaner campaigns.
