On the Right

It’s ironic but horribly true-to-life that the Democrats are profiteering from the Democratic election scandals. Here is the situation: As the investigations proceed, it becomes clearer and clearer that the White House is a stinkpot. So do something about the White House? Well, no. Do something about what causes all those noisome fumes, which is elections. And of course there is the White House pointing out (“As I have been recommending for five years”—Clinton) the need for campaign-finance reform. And the only tune in town these days is Senator McCain’s reform bill. But it is a bill the majority of Senate Republicans don’t want, for reasons personal and professional. Without soft money, Republican office-seekers would have a harder time of it. And the proposed attempts to outlaw soft money, as described in the McCain bill, would bring in a second tectonic age of regulation and countervailing anfractuosity.

Here are the two poles:

About the Author

William F. Buckley Jr.

William F. Buckley Jr. founded National Review magazine in 1955.

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It’s ironic but horribly true-to-life that the Democrats are profiteering from the Democratic election scandals. Here is the situation: As the investigations proceed, it becomes clearer and clearer that the White House is a stinkpot. So do something about the White House? Well, no. Do something about what causes all those noisome fumes, which is elections. And of course there is the White House pointing out (“As I have been recommending for five years”—Clinton) the need for campaign-finance reform. And the only tune in town these days is Senator McCain’s reform bill. But it is a bill the majority of Senate Republicans don’t want, for reasons personal and professional. Without soft money, Republican office-seekers would have a harder time of it. And the proposed attempts to outlaw soft money, as described in the McCain bill, would bring in a second tectonic age of regulation and countervailing anfractuosity.

Here are the two poles: