Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 4, 1990 TAG: 9003041983
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Public Citizen, the organization Claybrook leads, is among a number of self-styled public interest groups pushing Congress to accept public financing of the campaigns, with spending limits and significant restrictions on political action committee donations.
A new poll for Public Citizen shows 58 percent of those responding supports the concept of public financing - the highest level since just after the Watergate scandal.
But the poll also found most voters know very little about the mechanics of public financing and are skeptical any financing system would remove the influence of political action committees formed by special interests.
That is where Claybrook hopes the story of Keating and the widespread problems in the savings and loan industry will help.
The poll found overwhelming anger among voters who were told about five senators who intervened on Keating's behalf with federal regulators.
That anger, according to the pollsters, could provide Public Citizen and its allies with the opening they need to persuade the public the campaign financing system should be overhauled.
The pollsters cautioned, however, that while people are unhappy with the system and increasingly skeptical of Congress, they will be difficult to mobilize.
Public Citizen and its allies have little time to redirect the focus.
Congressional leaders promise to bring campaign finance legislation to the floor this spring, but no bipartisan agreement is in sight.
Lobbyists for Public Citizen, Common Cause and other groups are hoping a groundswell of public support will improve their chances. The Public Citizen poll contained evidence that a well-orchestrated campaign could attract supporters.
Seventy-four percent of those polled said the campaign system needs to be changed and 18 percent said "the system is a mess and needs to be fundamentally reformed."
Majorities supported several goals of the groups, including limits on political action committee contributions and on overall campaign spending, and a requirement that candidates raise most of their money in their home district or state.
Also drawing wide support were proposals to give each candidate a set amount of television time and cut mailing rates in return for promises of limited spending.
The nationwide poll of 1,100 probable voters last month found campaign finance far from the top of their list of chief concerns. Just 5 percent ranked it first.
The poll also found that support for public campaign financing - the centerpiece of the changes sought by Public Citizen and its allies - withered when voters were reminded their tax dollars could be used for negative "attack ads" or for support of extremist candidates.
by CNB