Campaign Reform Bill Approved by the Senate

Re “Campaign Reform Bill Passes Congress; Bush Says He’ll Sign,” March 21: To think it has been seven years to get this hard-won legislation through the Congress. The point man for the opposition, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), has made some incredibly telling comments about the nature of the bill and its effects on the electoral process. If he were not so serious in his position, it would be absolutely laughable.

Now he wants to spend our money to file a lawsuit challenging this legislation.

Time and again, McConnell had shamelessly said in no uncertain terms that this bill would damage the GOP in its ability to retain political power, more severely than it would the Democrats. With congressional Republicans getting the lion’s share of Enron’s influence peddling, those on the right side of the aisle knew full well what their chances for reelection would be if they gave McConnell their full backing on this issue.

This bill got a new lease on life, as we all know, thanks to the Enron debacle, and the people finally spoke up.

Now, about those millionaire lobbyists. . . .

David Ohman

Irvine

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After seven years of struggle, Congress passed campaign finance reform. John McCain is hugging Tom Daschle, and George W. Bush, fearing his own political defeat in 2004, reluctantly has agreed to sign the bill into law. Thank you, Enron.

Ralph S. Brax

Lancaster

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Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) says she is “personally grateful” because the campaign finance reform bill will bar citizens groups from using any sort of advertising to review or attack a candidate’s policies or votes in the last two months before an election (“Uphill Fight Becomes an Avalanche,” March 21).

So, what she is really saying is that she is grateful that this bill will squelch open discussion and debate of her policies. How undemocratic.

Ron Moore

Temple City