A 1996 survey by The Washington Post, Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University found that two-thirds of those interviewed could not name their representative. Of course, the conceit is that political spending is not about disseminating information but about bribing politicians. I asked a Senate committee chaired by Phil Gramm, R-Texas, if someone could name a politician in Congress who was on the take. After all, if this corruption is so endemic that our First Amendment liberties should be suspended, names should be named. But names are never named in this sham crusade.
Journalists become the chief gatekeepers of information when private contributions are restricted.
It is not for nothing that Washington pols and scribblers are the biggest cheerleaders for so-called campaign finance reform. They re probably raising their glasses to the idea right now. At the Caucus Room.