Soft money sounds cuddly, but there is nothing cute about it and we ought to get rid of it while there is still time. John McCain and Bill Bradley have made an issue of soft money this year. On Dec. 16 the two met in Claremont and shook hands in a symbolic pledge to fight soft money. The problem is we haven't been told much about soft money.
Soft money consists of unregulated political contributions to parties.
The money cannot be used to support or oppose individual candidates, but it can be used to bring issues to the attention of voters, usually by radio, television and phone. We've seen a few of these so-called issue ads on New Hampshire television in recent weeks. There is a curious one that is supposed to make us feel all warm and fuzzy about Orrin Hatch. The ad reaches new pinnacles of soft-focus photography as plain folks relate the ways in which Medicaid legislation supported by Hatch made a difference in their lives. Personal testimonies in political television ads are big this year.