Would 200 million$ * even be silly enough to debate special interests?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

This entire issue is a non-issue. Campaigns cost money. That is the reality. No money = no campaign. I am as dismayed as anyone by the amount of corporate cash in campaigns but making a law that does NOT shoot the opposition party in the foot while competing wit richer Republicans is a tough task.

Even John McCain who co authored the bill acknowledged such.

ANYONE who believes George Bush can somehow take ANY of our candidates down over campaign contributions after the money flowing from healthcare, pharma, banks and defense industries to his campaign needs to PLEASE spell it out for me.

I think we are shooting ourselves in the foot over and over with this one.

None of the major candidates can claim they have taken NO corporate cash. None of them.

[HFishbine]

1. You've got it backwards

The question is not what Bush will attack us with, but rather on what issues will we have the moral high ground. Bush can and should be taken to task for:

- Special interest ties
- Iraq war
- Patriot Act
- NCLB
- Budget/Tax cuts/deficit

Our canididates are not all equal on their ability to take on Bush on these issues.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. I'll take the guy who can remind voters that legislation that was

more beneficial to them WAS offered up and blocked by the Republican congress who passed a more harmful bill.

I'll take the guy who can inform people how the bankruptcy bill hurts average Americans.

I'll take the guy who can explain how LESS jobs would be lost due to NAFTA and trade if KYOTO had not been dropped and other countries had to comply with somthing similar to our clean air laws.

I'll take the guy who KNOWS the legislative history point by point.

[PretzelWarrior]

2. THANK YOU!!! Did you know environmentalists are a special interest?

did you know Teacher's Unions are special interests? Did you know Healthcare reform advocacy groups are special interests? We are all tied to various lobbying groups and special interests. The word gets abused a lot. I think Kerry is correct in saying he can demonstrate a record of not allowing money from this or that person making a negative impact on his voting and his representation of the people.

I WANT him to listen to special interest groups like Planned Parenthood and GLAAD. Don't you?

[HawkerHurricane]

6. Yes, all of them are special interests

And the Republican Owned Media (ROM, the new meme I just thought up) will claim that Halliburton, GE, AFA, Christian Coalition et. al. (etc ad nausuem) are not.

[charlie]

4. Bush doesn't have to say a peep about it

The handmaiden press can do it for him. Democrats had still better be ready to fight hard on the issue.

[THUNDER HANDS]

5. I totally agree with you

Kerry isn't even in Bush's galaxy when it comes to Special Interests.

[sandnsea]

7. It's writing legislation for them

That's the thing, that's what this Administration does time and time and time again.

[BruinAlum]

8. Completely agree

The energy industry is literally writing the legislation for this admin. Case in point, Cheney's secret energy task force.

[PretzelWarrior]

9. what would be interesting is the BALANCE of special interest

money. I'm sure there are a lot of cases of a candidate getting money from competing interests. Like....Union money and trade groups. probably not as much in the abortion/gay/gun control arenas but perhaps from environmental groups and energy groups.

The candidate is pretty much covered because in those cases, the money got him/her in and gives those people a voice on the policy discussion but not necessarily his guaranteed vote. If, however, the bulk of money for a candidate comes completely from the business and ownership interests....and then the policies flowing from administration fall in line with those industries wishes...we can connect the dots.

I wish there was less concentrated money in politics. If the power vaulting Kerry to the White House is grass roots campaigning and fundraising, you can guarantee he will keep faith with those groups.