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THE PROGRESSIVE REVIEW - July 29, 2010
Obama Urges Senate to Pass Campaign Ad Disclosure Bill
by: William Douglas
McClatchy Newspapers
Washington - President Barack Obama implored the Senate
Monday to pass a campaign finance law that Republicans
and business groups are attacking as political censor-
ship and an effort to limit the number of ads aimed at
Democratic incumbents in November's elections.
In a White House Rose Garden speech, Obama blasted GOP
resistance to the DISCLOSE Act, a measure that would
impose strict campaign donation disclosure requirements
on unions and corporations that sponsor political ads.
"And you'd think that reducing corporate and even foreign
influence over our elections would not be a partisan
issue. But of course, this is Washington in 2010," Obama
said. "And the Republican leadership in the Senate is
once again using every tactic and every maneuver they can
to prevent the DISCLOSE Act from even coming up for an up
or down vote."
Senate Democrats said they intend to seek Tuesday to end
debate on the bill, authored by Sen. Charles Schumer,
D-N.Y., though they may not have the 60 votes they need
to do so.
Democrats crafted the DISCLOSE Act after the Supreme
Court's 5-4 decision in January that struck down decades-
old laws barring corporations and unions from directly
supporting campaigns. The case was Citizens United vs.
Federal Election Commission.
The bill would require most independent groups, including
labor unions and corporations, to disclose the names of
the top five donors whose money helped fund political ads.
It also would require corporate and union executives to
appear in political ads that their organizations help pay
for and state that that he or she "approves this message,"
as candidates currently do in campaign commercials.
The bill also would prevent the use of federal TARP money
in elections and curb foreign nationals and countries from
contributing to campaigns.
Republicans responded to Obama's criticism even before the
president spoke, declaring in statement after statement
that the bill is unconstitutional and an obvious attempt
to protect vulnerable congressional Democrats in November.
"The mere suggestion that a bill designed to save
politicians' jobs should take precedent over helping
millions of Americans find work is an embarrassing
indictment of Democratic priorities," said Senate Minority
Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. "The DISCLOSE Act seeks to
protect unpopular Democrat politicians by silencing their
critics and exempting their campaign supporters from an
all out attack on the First Amendment."
The House of Representatives passed its version of the
bill on a 219-206 vote last month despite opposition from
liberals over a disclosure exemption that was added to
allay the National Rifle Association so it wouldn't
pressure moderate Democrats to vote against the measure.
Senate Democrats have modified their version of the bill ?
striking a union-friendly exemption but keeping the NRA
carve-out ? in hopes of attracting Republican support,
with little success so far.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce joined the Republican
opposition Monday by unveiling an ad that will appear
in Washington-area publications Tuesday that declares
"DISCLOSE is censorship, not democracy."
"The fact that this assault to the First Amendment is being
considered as millions are desperately looking for work is
a complete outrage," said Thomas Donohue, the business
lobby's president. "Despite their best efforts, there is
no back room dark enough, no partisan motive strong enough,
and no cynicism profound enough, to barter away Americans'
'freedom of speech.'"
Obama, cited the nation's struggling economy as a primary
reason to push forward with the DISCLOSE Act.
"At a time of such challenge for America, we can't afford
these political games," he said. "Millions of Americans
are struggling to get by, and their voices shouldn't be
drowned out by millions of dollars in secret, special
interest advertising. The American people's voices should
be heard."
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