Voters to Campaign Finance Do-Gooders: Ho-Hum

Voters to Campaign Finance Do-Gooders: "Ho-Hum"

Wednesday, April 9th 1997 — What's happened at the Center for Responsive Politics(CRP)? Ellen Miller, who used to be its executive director, seems to have cashed in -- her chips and others -- and formed a new group called "Public Campaign." CRP was brought to you by Common Cause. Is there a rift between Miller and her fellow campaign-bucks-fighting pals? The new election watchdog group was rolled out Tuesday. Veteran election analyst Ellen Miller, head of newly organized Public Campaign, said $9 million had been received largely from "private foundations" for a public relations drive to defeat congressional fear and what she calls "apathy" and win passage of a system of financing campaigns with public money.

A CBS/New York Times poll shows the public favors campaign reform, but 78 percent opposed public financing of campaigns, saying it would cost too much. This is the key factor that will stop any effort to use taxpayer dollars to finance campaigns.

Miller plans to be around a long time. She said, "…our ultimate goal is reform of the federal system, we are going to first build support in the states,'' she said. Money would be spent on advertising and a web site on the Internet to promote the grass roots effort…"

President Clinton backs a bill with voluntary spending limits proposed in the Senate by Republican John McCain of Arizona and Democrat Russell Feingold of Wisconsin, but only because it is unlikely to pass.

At Tuesday's news conference, Miller's Public Campaign group would not endorse the McCain-Feingold bill but pushed its own scheme to give public money to candidates if they "voluntarily" agree to restrict spending. This is her achilles heel. Miller, must believe she can push voters to back a program that would take at least $500 million out of their pockets each year.

Fat chance.