Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. form letter to constituent, 2002?

FIELD(letterdate) FIELD(nameline) FIELD(title) FIELD(organization 1 ) FIELD(organization2) FIELD(addressl) FIELD(address2) FIELD(address3) FIELD(address4) IFNOTBLANK(city)FIELD(city), FIELD(state) FIELD(zip9)ENDIF Dear FIELD(salutation2b): Thank you for contacting me regarding campaign finance reform. I appreciate learning of your opinion on this issue. As you know, the cost of running a campaign has risen dramatically in recent years. There is a bipartisan consensus in Congress that we must rein in campaign costs. There is, however, significant disagreement over how this goal is to be achieved. Some members would like to control campaign costs through radical, broad reforms of the current electoral system. I wish to repair the deficiencies in the current system rather than replace it entirely. Some of my colleagues support the establishment of voluntary limits on federal campaign spending in exchange for federal subsidies paid for by the taxpayer. In my view, the introduction of public financing into our campaign system puts us on the slippery slope of full federal management of elections. In effect, a federally subsidized campaign system places government in charge of selecting government, and compromises the free discussion of issues and the free selection of leaders in a democratic society. Others argue in favor of eliminating so-called "soft money" (corporate and large individual contributions made to party organizations and spent on general party-building activities). Once again, this is a cure worse than the disease. Banning all soft money will federalize all campaign finance and issue discussion and weaken the voice of individuals and groups. Moreover, I have serious concerns abut the constitutionality of such bans. The Supreme Court, in its landmark Buckley v. Valeo decision, determined political spending constitutes a form of highly protected speech under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Congress, when considering campaign finance reform, must honor the high court's direction to protect the individual's freedom of speech when supporting a candidate for political office. Many cite PACs (political action committees) as another problem in federal elections. PACs were created by Congress during the 1970s when corporate contributions were banned from federal elections. PACs allow ordinary citizens who share common professional,