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The Daily Tar Heel

Small Effect Predicted for Campaign Bill

Early Thursday morning, the U.S. House passed the Shays-Meehan Bill, which would limit soft money contributions and regulate issue advocacy ads that mention candidates. The Senate is expected to take up the bill sometime next week.

The bill contains a provision from Rep. David Price, D-N.C., that would require candidates to be responsible for their political advertisements.

Under the "Stand by your Ad" provision, candidates would have to link themselves to their television ads by either appearing full-screen in their television ads and delivering the disclaimer directly or delivering the disclaimer in voice-over with a clearly identifiable picture visible.

Bridget Lowell, Price's press secretary, said "Stand by your Ad" is based partly on a 1999 N.C. state law that held candidates responsible for their ads.

Lowell said the requirement would improve the tone of campaigns.

"The law that was so successful (in North Carolina) will now be implemented across the country," she said.

But Thad Beyle, UNC political science professor, said the Shays-Meehan Bill, if passed, would not have any immediate effect on campaigning nationwide.

"You're going to reform some things that bother observers and even some participants," he said. "But you can never wipe the slate clean."

He said campaign finance reform bills always have loopholes and interest groups will discover ways to circumvent the new restrictions.

Beyle said the very nature of political campaigning, which relies heavily on expensive television advertisements, has made it necessary for candidates to raise large amounts of money.

"Politics is made of money right now," Beyle said.

But N.C. Sen. Virginia Foxx, R-Watauga, said she thinks the "Stand by your Ad" portion of the bill would have a positive impact on elections.

"Whoever puts out an ad should have to identify himself or herself," Foxx said. "It's just truth in advertising in political campaigns, and we need that."

But Foxx added that she is worried that the Shays-Meehan Bill, if passed, might restrict First Amendment rights.

Foxx added that campaign spending is not necessarily a bad thing.

N.C. Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, said she is pleased by the bill's success in the U.S. House but believes the bill is too limited to be effective. "It is less than I would hope for," she said.

Kinnaird said she has limited funding from individuals and groups during her past campaigns. She said she hopes the national bills would call attention to state campaign laws and prompt a change.

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.

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