By Jason Schwalm
I had a rare opportunity, and, like a fool, I let it pass me by.I wait tables in an effusive Louisville restaurant frequented bythe local elite. A few weeks ago, delivering complimentary breadand water to a table, I noticed Sen. Mitch McConnell, Majority Whipand all around fun-loving guy. I asked my manager if it would bepermissible for me to deride the Senator for his position oncampaign finance reform, but she said that would be an ill-advisedmove. I’ve kicked myself for not seizing the moment eversince.
Although I can’t speak for the Senator, I imagine theconfrontation would have gone something like this:
Jason: (wearing a stylish blue shirt and black tie) How dareyou? (Dramatic pause, Glare for emphasis) You were supposed torepresent us. I understand that my leaders will not always agreewith me, but you should be compelled to side with someone otherthan corporate lobbyists and own wallet.
I’m talking about the case that you argued in front of theSupreme Court in December. “Limiting campaign contributionscontradicts the First Amendment?” (More adamant now) Youcan’t possibly believe that. You are an intelligent man, andyou have a well educated legal mind. Only self-interest could drivea person to maintain such a position in front of the SupremeCourt.
If money really does equal speech, then the right to speak isdirectly proportionate to wealth – that is an absolutelyinexcusable interpretation of the First Amendment. In the FederalElection Commission Vs National Rights to Work Commission, it wasmade abundantly clear that limiting campaign contributions is inthe best interest of the government, It removes not only thepossibility of corruption, but it also shores up public support byremoving the possibility of the appearance of corruption.
When the First Amendment was drafted, it was necessarily broadand appropriately vague, but at no time could it reasonably beconstrued to mean that the very people lobbying most vigorouslyshould be the same people who, almost single-handedly, fund thecampaigns of the politicians who would enact, through legislation,the position of those lobbies. You are auctioning off the Bill ofRights to the highest bidder, and you are doing it knowingly andmalevolently.
That is, more or less, what I would have said if I weren’tunder managerial supervision and if I didn’t fear losing myjob. And perhaps, in light of the typical reticence of politiciansexplaining themselves to their constituents, the silence Iattribute to Sen. McConnell is more accurate than I want tobelieve.
Jason Schwalm is a sophomore of undeclared major and acolumnist for The Louisville Cardinal. Email him at: jschwalm@louisvillecardinal.com.
