Marty Meehan

Democrats are calling on President Bush to promise to sign legislation reforming the way U.S. election campaigns are financed, saying there may never be a better chance to overhaul the nation's political process.

The Democrat's weekly radio address Saturday was given by Congressman Marty Meehan, one of the co-sponsors of the reform bill approved this past week by the House of Representatives. The bill would ban corporations, unions, and individuals from making large, unregulated donations to political parties and would restrict them from broadcasting political issue ads within 60 days of an election.

Mr. Meehan said corporate money in the political process has thwarted some of the issues the public cares about most, citing gun safety measures, a patient's bill of rights, and prescription drug coverage for senior citizens. He said the collapse of the giant energy trading corporation Enron - and the fact the government did not see it coming - raise questions about the influence of corporate money.

The bill now awaits action by the Senate, which passed similar legislation by a 59-41 margin last year.Opponents of campaign finance reform legislation argue that restricting campaign donations and political issue ads violates freedom of speech.

Some information for this report provided by AP.

Email this article to a friend
Printer Friendly Version