John McCain's Mixed Record on Campaign Finance

In 1989, Lincoln Savings and Loan Association collapsed. Five U.S. Senators (the Keating Five) were accused of accepting $1.3 million in campaign contributions to persuade the federal investigator to ease off his investigation of the bank and its chairman, Charles Keating.

Following the scandal that cost taxpayers over $3 billion, Congress made several attempts to change how federal elections were financed. Leading that charge was Senator John McCain, campaign finance reform's most influential voice.

So, when I set out to make my documentary on the influence of money in politics (Mr. Schneider Goes to Washington), Senator McCain was the logical hero for this important story.

You could image my surprise when, time and time again, the Senator and his staff avoided me at all costs. I kept asking myself, "Why doesn't he want to participate in a film that champions his core issue?"

Perhaps it was because Senator McCain was one of the Keating Five. That couldn't be it. True, this may be embarrassing; but it doesn't negate his subsequent commitment to campaign finance reform. After all, with out McCain there couldn't be McCain/Feingold, the most progressive reform since Watergate.

I continued to be baffled until I learned that Senator McCain would prefer to be called President McCain. In a Washington sort of way this made complete sense. You can stand up for what you believe in as long as it doesn't keep you from being elected.

In the ensuing months, not only did the Senator rescind his support for or remained silent on various election/lobbying reforms he once considered critical, but he also has enlisted more lobbyist-bundlers to raise money for his campaign (a former pet peeve of his) then any other candidate, Democrat or Republican.

In perhaps the most ironic twist of all, Senator McCain, who himself opted out of the Presidential Public Funding System in the primaries, recently criticized Senator Obama for hedging on his commitment to accept public funding for the general election.

In principle I absolutely agree. Every presidential candidate should participate in our public funding system for both the primary and general elections (especially if they claim support clean elections). But, given Senator Obama's enormous success in raising campaign contributions it seems obvious that Senator McCain's only real concern is not being able to raise as much money as Senator Obama (who, along with Senator Clinton, hasn't yet opted into the Presidential Public Financing System).

Senator McCain, at times like this don't you wish someone in Washington like yourself was selflessly fighting to change the way our elections are financed?

Visit Mr. Schneider Goes to Washington.

Comments

[JJinWI]

Forgive the repeated rant postings.
Not sure what happened there.

[JJinWI]

Once the stakes are raised for the position of power, all bets are off. John McCain, America's "beloved" war "hero", is the primary example of how power corrupts. It is a pathetic tale of how the system of American leadership prostitutes the ideals of Democracy. I do not support John McCain, and I never have, which is obvious, but this goes farther than John McCain. The compromise that is required to rise in the ranks of the partisan circus leaves nothing more than puppets of capitalism, with very few exceptions. Unfortunately, those who are the exception rarely, if ever, reach the status where they can actually become the agents of leadership this country, and the world, so desperately needs.

The scandal that surrounds the McCain campaign is not new, it has been with him since he began his political/military career. Even before the Keating Five scandal, McCain has favoring the interests of the elites who put him into the political system. It doesn't take much researching to find the trail of money that follows the majority of issues he has supported throughout his career.

The biggest injustice of all is how people turn a blind eye to the reality that the majority of our "elected" officials as well skilled at playing the game. Both sides of the aisle, you will find manipulation of oversight laws and campaign funding "irregularities that the media darlings do not report on.

In this pretend democracy, the one that our leaders intend to spread globally, the corruption is rooted deep beyond the general public's eye. And those who cry out that the Emperor wears no clothes, are all too soon regarded as disillusioned and ridiculous in their contempt for respect of it.

We blindly elect these people and maintain the illusion that they will actually respect the oath of office that they swear to, when in fact, the majority of them already have their own personal agendas waiting in the wings. Ethics become a mere footnote, their reach for power is their only objective.

When the voters start becoming accountable for the vote they cast, maybe then will this country actually start electing those deserving of our leadership.

http://www.citizensforethics.org/familyaffair_senate_report

This country's "top-tier" candidates are all buried deeply into special interests. Their promises are just that...promises. They will say whatever it takes on that day to gain your confidence, and then move on to their next stump.

Character and humility are your true traits for leadership. No man or woman is an emperor, and the American voter needs to recognize that.

America will revert into the bowels of Third World Country status if she continues to pursue this path of hegemony.

[JJinWI]

Once the stakes are raised for the position of power, all bets are off. John McCain, America's "beloved" war "hero", is the primary example of how power corrupts. It is a pathetic tale of how the system of American leadership prostitutes the ideals of Democracy. I do not support John McCain, and I never have, which is obvious, but this goes farther than John McCain. The compromise that is required to rise in the ranks of the partisan circus leaves nothing more than puppets of capitalism, with very few exceptions. Unfortunately, those who are the exception rarely, if ever, reach the status where they can actually become the agents of leadership this country, and the world, so desperately needs.

The scandal that surrounds the McCain campaign is not new, it has been with him since he began his political/military career. Even before the Keating Five scandal, McCain has favoring the interests of the elites who put him into the political system. It doesn't take much researching to find the trail of money that follows the majority of issues he has supported throughout his career.

The biggest injustice of all is how people turn a blind eye to the reality that the majority of our "elected" officials as well skilled at playing the game. Both sides of the aisle, you will find manipulation of oversight laws and campaign funding "irregularities that the media darlings do not report on.

In this pretend democracy, the one that our leaders intend to spread globally, the corruption is rooted deep beyond the general public's eye. And those who cry out that the Emperor wears no clothes, are all too soon regarded as disillusioned and ridiculous in their contempt for respect of it.

We blindly elect these people and maintain the illusion that they will actually respect the oath of office that they swear to, when in fact, the majority of them already have their own personal agendas waiting in the wings. Ethics become a mere footnote, their reach for power is their only objective.

When the voters start becoming accountable for the vote they cast, maybe then will this country actually start electing those deserving of our leadership.

http://www.citizensforethics.org/familyaffair_senate_report

This country's "top-tier" candidates are all buried deeply into special interests. Their promises are just that...promises. They will say whatever it takes on that day to gain your confidence, and then move on to their next stump.

Character and humility are your true traits for leadership. No man or woman is an emperor, and the American voter needs to recognize that.

America will revert into the bowels of Third World Country status if she continues to pursue this path of hegemony.

[JJinWI]

Once the stakes are raised for the position of power, all bets are off. John McCain, America's "beloved" war "hero", is the primary example of how power corrupts. It is a pathetic tale of how the system of American leadership prostitutes the ideals of Democracy. I do not support John McCain, and I never have, which is obvious, but this goes farther than John McCain. The compromise that is required to rise in the ranks of the partisan circus leaves nothing more than puppets of capitalism, with very few exceptions. Unfortunately, those who are the exception rarely, if ever, reach the status where they can actually become the agents of leadership this country, and the world, so desperately needs.

The scandal that surrounds the McCain campaign is not new, it has been with him since he began his political/military career. Even before the Keating Five scandal, McCain has favoring the interests of the elites who put him into the political system. It doesn't take much researching to find the trail of money that follows the majority of issues he has supported throughout his career.

The biggest injustice of all is how people turn a blind eye to the reality that the majority of our "elected" officials as well skilled at playing the game. Both sides of the aisle, you will find manipulation of oversight laws and campaign funding "irregularities that the media darlings do not report on.

In this pretend democracy, the one that our leaders intend to spread globally, the corruption is rooted deep beyond the general public's eye. And those who cry out that the Emperor wears no clothes, are all too soon regarded as disillusioned and ridiculous in their contempt for respect of it.

We blindly elect these people and maintain the illusion that they will actually respect the oath of office that they swear to, when in fact, the majority of them already have their own personal agendas waiting in the wings. Ethics become a mere footnote, their reach for power is their only objective.

When the voters start becoming accountable for the vote they cast, maybe then will this country actually start electing those deserving of our leadership.

http://www.citizensforethics.org/familyaffair_senate_report

This country's "top-tier" candidates are all buried deeply into special interests. Their promises are just that...promises. They will say whatever it takes on that day to gain your confidence, and then move on to their next stump.

Character and humility are your true traits for leadership. No man or woman is an emperor, and the American voter needs to recognize that.

America will revert into the bowels of Third World Country status if she continues to pursue this path of hegemony.

[JJinWI]

Once the stakes are raised for the position of power, all bets are off. John McCain, America's "beloved" war "hero", is the primary example of how power corrupts. It is a pathetic tale of how the system of American leadership prostitutes the ideals of Democracy. I do not support John McCain, and I never have, which is obvious, but this goes farther than John McCain. The compromise that is required to rise in the ranks of the partisan circus leaves nothing more than puppets of capitalism, with very few exceptions. Unfortunately, those who are the exception rarely, if ever, reach the status where they can actually become the agents of leadership this country, and the world, so desperately needs.

The scandal that surrounds the McCain campaign is not new, it has been with him since he began his political/military career. Even before the Keating Five scandal, McCain has favoring the interests of the elites who put him into the political system. It doesn't take much researching to find the trail of money that follows the majority of issues he has supported throughout his career.

The biggest injustice of all is how people turn a blind eye to the reality that the majority of our "elected" officials as well skilled at playing the game. Both sides of the aisle, you will find manipulation of oversight laws and campaign funding "irregularities that the media darlings do not report on.

In this pretend democracy, the one that our leaders intend to spread globally, the corruption is rooted deep beyond the general public's eye. And those who cry out that the Emperor wears no clothes, are all too soon regarded as disillusioned and ridiculous in their contempt for respect of it.

We blindly elect these people and maintain the illusion that they will actually respect the oath of office that they swear to, when in fact, the majority of them already have their own personal agendas waiting in the wings. Ethics become a mere footnote, their reach for power is their only objective.

When the voters start becoming accountable for the vote they cast, maybe then will this country actually start electing those deserving of our leadership.

http://www.citizensforethics.org/familyaffair_senate_report

This country's "top-tier" candidates are all buried deeply into special interests. Their promises are just that...promises. They will say whatever it takes on that day to gain your confidence, and then move on to their next stump.

Character and humility are your true traits for leadership. No man or woman is an emperor, and the American voter needs to recognize that.

America will revert into the bowels of Third World Country status if she continues to pursue this path of hegemony.

[LeftRight]

Not to mention that Senator Obama has not said that he will NOT use public funding, but that he will only use it if his opponent does, which is a reasonable precaution, since McCain has been on and off the fence about whether or not he will use such funding.