Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 31, 1990 TAG: 9007310278
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Republicans called the proposal a "food stamp voucher for politicians" that would open the door to taxpayer financing to pay most of the cost of congressional campaigns as it does now with presidential elections.
"Underneath the hood, it's the same old lemon running on taxpayer financing and spending limits," said Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, the leading Republican opponent to the Democratic bill.
By a 49-46 vote, the Senate rejected a Republican amendment that would delete from a campaign finance reform bill a measure to give Senate nominees $180,000 to $1.1 million each in government vouchers to buy broadcasting time for abiding by voluntary spending ceilings demanded by Democrats.
All 44 Republicans present voted for the amendment by McConnell. Democrats Howell Heflin of Alabama and James Exxon of Nebraska also bolted from their party to support it.
Beginning debate on campaign finance reform that both parties claim to want to address a growing public cynicism about politics in the wake of the savings and loan scandal, Democrats and Republicans remained at logger heads over the idea of spending ceilings.
Majority Democrats, as they have for years, continued to insist on state-by-state limits on how much candidates can raise and spend to win or keep Senate seats.
"Anything short of that only creates the appearance of reform," said Democratic Leader George Mitchell of Maine. "That's the central issue dividing the two parties."
by CNB