Hill Republicans attack Dems’ plan to limit election spending, use proposal against them

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News: A proposal by Senate Democrats to limit campaign spending was supposed to die a quick death. But Capitol Hill Republicans are rallying to keep the issue alive in an apparent campaign season strategy, arguing it would put wide-ranging limitations on political free speech by amending the Constitution.

 

Top Senate Republicans took to the chamber floor Tuesday to make their case, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz who called the proposal the most radical that the upper chamber has considered since he arrived in 2011.

 

The relatively short proposal essentially say that Congress and states could regulate and set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections and may distinguish between natural persons and corporations by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections.

 

However, Republicans argue the proposed constitutional amendment, if passed, would limit the political speech of everything and everybody from the NAACP to movies to little old ladies.

 

Its effect would be breathtaking, Cruz said in a 51-minute floor speech. It would be the most massive intrusion on civil liberties and expansion of government in modern times.

 

Say you were a little old lady who wants to put a sign in her front yard and write on it I love the First Amendment. That takes money, said Cruz, who also chastised Democrats for not being more concerned about the U.S. economy and the threat of Islamic State militants.

 

The bill, championed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, has no chance of winning the two-thirds majority to clear the upper chamber, much less being considered by the Republican-run House.

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Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4Lp_GS1iko