Dems knew they could support without repercussion because the Republican leadership opposed the bill. Make McFein passage a real possibility, and voters will see just how sincere many righteous Dems are not. The AFL-CIO already has bolted. The new national pastime could be guessing who would be the next Dem to have a religious moment and announce they've seen the hard-money light. According to Time magazine, it could be Sen. Bob Torricelli, D-N.J., or the Senate's Louisianans, John Breaux and Mary Landrieu.
Republicans look stupid calling soft money a First Amendment issue.
Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but it's a rich person's problem. Anyway, that's what Washington pays the Supreme Court to decide. If the Supreme Court keeps McFein largely intact, there will be fewer six-figure gifts to GOP groups, and fewer reasons for Republicans to support bad corporate welfare programs. The party would look independent and GOP senators might bask in the respect that Feingold, who eschewed soft money in a tough re-election bid, enjoys. Bush once again would show him self to be taller than the big hack who preceded him.