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DISCLOSE bill can level political playing field

Frederick R. McKeehan Quaker Hill

Publication: The Day

Published 08/29/2010 12:00 AM
Updated 08/29/2010 04:35 AM

In January the U.S. Supreme Court reversed 100 years of precedence by ruling that corporations could spend unlimited money in support of candidates or issues. This 5-4 vote thus became the law of the land, reversible only by a constitutional amendment or a change in membership of the court.
The disastrous effect of this ruling could be modified if the corporations were required to publicly identify their political investments. Such a measure failed to pass by one vote in the Senate, but will be voted on again in September. This is the DISCLOSE bill, an acronym for Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections.
Under its provisions, the public as well as the stockholders of corporations will be aware of how corporate funds are being channeled into the political arena. This should help to stem the flow of unlimited cash into our elections, which would overwhelm the more modest contributions of individual citizens.
We need to encourage the Senate to pass the DISCLOSE bill to return our elections to a more level playing field with the voice of the people once again being heard.

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