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Efforts for campaign finance reform have dragged on for years but are getting some unexpected help from recent scandals, according to a spokesman for Common Cause.
Members of the local Taxpayers Action Network heard a call to action Monday by Julia Vaughn, an Indiana spokesman for Common Cause, a national organization dedicated to seeking effective campaign finance reform efforts.
Those pushing for finance reforms believe campaigns are too expensive and unfairly dominated by special interest money. Last year, the presidential election involved $330 million and the entire federal campaign expenditure is believed to exceeded $2 billion.
Efforts for change are being buoyed by numerous scandals on the federal and state levels. In Washington, there is the Lincoln Bedroom scandal and the John Huang scandal, and in Indiana, the indictment of former lawmaker Sam Turpin.
Evidence of growing support for reforms is seen in the number of congressmen who are lining up behind the McCain-Feingold bill currently under consideration in Congress. While most Democrats are already supporting the reform act, Common Cause is lobbying Republicans in the Senate who have been less eager to support the proposals.
Vaughn urged TAN members to contact both Indiana senators Dan Coats and Richard Lugar to ask for their support.
She said she believes Democrats are now supporting the bill because they fear President Clinton's campaign finance scandals currently being investigated will be a major issue in the 1998 elections. By supporting the reform act, they'll be able to set themselves aside from that issue, she said.
"Hopefully, scandal can prompt reform," Vaughn said.
The McCain-Feingold bill would ban soft money, a term for campaign funds sent to parties to avoid lawful contribution limits. The bill would also ban or restrict contributions from Political Action Committees.
One of the worst inequities in campaign finance results from PACs, which overwhelmingly support incumbents, Vaughn said.
Another aspect of the reform act would set voluntary spending limits by candidates.
"The voluntary spending limits will go a long way toward easing that tremendous advantage the incumbents currently have," she said.
Vaughn said she worries that lawmakers will attempt to sweep the issue under the rug in hopes the electorate will forget about the issue, but is encouraged by the large number of national organizations now supporting the bill.
Seniors, environmentalists, the Reform Party - in essence - "a real cross-section of interests have finally figured out that campaign finance is the root of all other issues," she said.
Changes would "allow us to hold (the system) accountable or we're never going to make progress on other issues we care about," she said.
Vaughn touted a national petition drive currently under way.
Project Independence was started by Common Cause and consists chiefly of a nationwide petition for people supporting the reform act. Vaughn distributed petition lists and received some signatures from TAN members already working on the issues.
Organizers hope to deliver petitions with 1,776,000 signatures by July 4, she said.
"Only through such a dramatic show of force will we get action," Vaughn said.
To learn more about Common Cause and the petition effort, call (202) 546-4996.
