@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Date: 28 Dec 95 >From: Robert Ward <•••@••.•••> Subject: Re: cj#366> J Warren ideas on Campaign Reform (Comments?) There are similar concerns in the UK, though we don't have the same scale of problem that you seem to have in the US. There has been some recent kerfuffle over MPs receiving payment (or rather apparently agreeing to accept payment) for asking questions in the House, which has led to some redrawing of the Parliamentary rules for receiving outside money for such activities as being "parliamentary consultants", i.e., lobbyists. The Conservative party has also been criticised for allegedly accepting substantial contributions from foreigners. Financing political campaigns is always a vexatious problem. The idea of restricting to personal contributions sounds OK, but doesn't it suffer from the difficulty that it automatically biases campaigns (even more) towards the well-heeled? There is a school of thought that it should be done either partially or wholly through some form of state funding; that in turn is open to the criticism that it places a barrier against start-up or "one-issue" parties. >> silly ol' First Amendment things about right to assemble and peaceable petition for redress of grievences, and freedom of expression << Don't knock 'em! We could use them over here even if you don't want them ... BTW : I thought the "Federalist" papers were largely written by Alexander Hamiltonn and James Madison? Robert Ward @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ ~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~--~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~ Posted by Richard K. Moore (•••@••.•••) Wexford, Ireland •••@••.••• | Cyberlib=http://www.internet-eireann.ie/cyberlib ~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~--~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~
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