JIM HIGHTOWER -- 07/08/96
=========================
 
Frank McConnell is not  a  household  name,  but he's an American
hero to me because he's what  America  is  all  about:   ordinary
folks, willing to confront the powerful.
 
Frank's just a citizen who attended a public meeting one year ago
in  New  Hampshire  that  featured Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich
together, answering questions from  the audience.  McConnell made
national news that day, because he asked Clinton and Gingrich  to
stop  the  bickering and start cleaning up Washington by stopping
big-money campaign  contributions  from  corrupting our political
and legislative process.  Right then  and  there,  our  two  most
powerful  political  leaders  pledged  that  they  would  make  a
bi-partisan  effort  to  pass  a  genuine campaign finance reform
bill. Then they shook hands on the deal, for all America to see.
 
That handshake was such  a  moment  of  promise and hope that the
whole audience burst into cheers.
 
A year later, the cheers have died.  And so has campaign  finance
reform.   Where  did these two guys go, Gingrich and Clinton, who
gave America their word?
 
Well of course, suckers!  They  took your applause and went right
out on the campaign fund-raising trail where they've been raising
hundreds of millions of dollars from  the  exact  same  political
interests  that  Frank  McConnell  complained  about at that town
meeting!  Indeed, on  the  first  anniversary  of that handshake,
Newt Gingrich and the Republicans held a high-dollar dinner  that
pulled  in $8 million from corporate lobbyists and fat cats.  And
President Clinton travelled to  Las  Vegas and California to rake
in the big bucks from some of the wealthiest people  in  America.
Together,  Gingrich and Clinton have raised more special interest
money in the past year than anyone at any time in U.S. history.
 
This is  Jim  Hightower  saying,  getting  corrupt  money  out of
politics won't be done by the politicians but by people like  us!
If  you're  fed  up  and want to help, call Center for Responsive
Politics -- 202-857-0044.