Campaign Finance Reform, GOP style

It's a classic. House Republicans decide to look all tough on Issue X and draft a bill with a snappy title like "The Republicans' Very Tough Issue X Bill." Then it passes strictly along party lines, because it's actually a partisan snowjob designed to maintain Republican power.

Today's example: "The Republicans' Very Tough Campaign Finance Reform Bill."

The House approved campaign finance legislation last night that would benefit Republicans by placing strict caps on contributions to nonprofit committees that spent heavily in the last election while removing limits on political parties' spending coordinated with candidates.

The bill passed 218 to 209 in a virtual party-line vote.

Lifting party spending limits would aid Republican candidates because the GOP has consistently raised far more money than the Democratic Party. Similarly, barring "527" committees from accepting large unregulated contributions known as "soft money" would disadvantage Democrats, whose candidates received a disproportionate share of the $424 million spent by nonprofit committees in 2003-2004.

The 527 committees, named for a section of the tax law, are tax-exempt organizations that use voter mobilization and issue-based ads to influence federal elections. They grew in importance after the 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign finance law barred federal candidates and national parties from accepting unlimited donations from individuals, unions and corporations.

In 2003-2004, for example, international financier George Soros broke all contribution records by giving a total of $27 million to pro-Democratic groups such as America Coming Together and the Media Fund.

Although the measure's prospects for approval in the Senate are considered slim, House Republicans wanted a vote on what they could describe as "reform" legislation. At the same time, GOP leaders sought to embarrass Democrats by making them vote in apparent support of the use of soft money in federal campaigns.

Yep. Classic stuff. And by 'classic,' I mean partisan, sleazy and calculated. Watch for GOP Reps to tout this vote as evidence of their strong committment to reforming Washington. Right after they continue to cash those fat lobbyist checks.