That's the message of America's congressional incumbents and media bosses, the two elite groups behind McCain-Feingold. Approved by the Senate and headed for House consideration, the bill is a brazen, broad-daylight attack on free political expression. Bill supporters say the system is awash in money.
Proponents claim they're doing the people's bidding.
But even at the height of John McCain's presidential run, no more than 2 percent of Americans ever told pollsters McCain's pet cause was one of their top two priorities. Supporters say McCain-Feingold would clean up politics, but reams of law didn't keep Bill Clinton from selling the Lincoln Bedroom or taking money from communist China. No, what advocates really want to do is enhance their own power. Banning issue ads by independent groups during election season would be a boon to both incumbents and the media. Even in pragmatic terms, McCain-Feingold is bad news.