From a reader in response to my column today. I haven’t checked the math, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he has it right:

I checked out presidental spending over the last 5-6 cycles. (I forgot the name website but it does a good job of compiling these types of stats.) Turns out that prior to McCain-Feingold the inflation-adjusted increase of this spending was pretty constant at +4% over the four years, or about 1% per year. The McCain-Feingold cycle produced a 24% increase, 6% per year. So while their legislation was supposed to do one thing it did the opposite. So it goes in Washington. And these guys are permitted to be cast as heros. Go figure.