Fisking the Globe Editors' "Too unconventional"

Saying of The Presumptive Nominee that "Kerry ought to stick to the script and accept his party's nomination at the Democratic National Convention in late July."

Kerry is considering a deferred acceptance to avoid a Federal Election Commission rule that would force him to switch from primary campaign fund-raising to the more restrictive general election fund-raising once he is the official nominee. Republicans, who will not nominate President Bush for reelection until early September, can continue raising and spending money for five extra weeks without having to tap the $75 million in federal matching funds provided to each campaign.

The Federal Election Commission needs to change the regulation and give each party access to the federal funds on the same day, and it should move fast enough to affect this campaign cycle. The rule gives unfair edge to the incumbent party, Democrat or Republican, which by tradition holds its convention later.

Sure. Just like the way they stepped in to block the Demo's creation of 527 organizations as a flagrant bypass of campaign spending limits?

Still, the Democrats knew the field wouldn't be level when they chose their convention date. They had already received one break from the FEC when it decided not to challenge the so-called 527 committees that have rushed to fill the vacuum created by the McCain-Feingold soft money ban, raising cash that is now off-limits to the political parties. So far, the 527 groups have tended to favor Democrats."

Here is a statement worthy of Pravda. DEMOS set up 527s to bypass the provisions of McCain-Feingold, and the spineless FEC gave them a 90-day pass on them 90 days before they can tap Federal funds. Note also that this was "filling a vacuum". How rich. That is exactly what those Neanderthals who opposed McCain-Feingold said, wasn't it? That separating big money from politics was like trying to maintain a vacuum. Now that it has become convenient for a certain political party, the ever-consistent Globe Editors have discovered that their former Holy Grail of Campaign Finance Reform is nothing but a futile attempt to draw a vacuum. Save this editorial for the time some Demo whines for the next wave of such "reform".

And the neatest lie is that these groups have "tended to favor Democrats". Which is to say that DNC lawyers have been more energetic in stretching the provisions of McCain-Finegold until the intention of the law was destroyed. Not surprised. They have had plenty of practice at stretching the law during the Clinton/Ron Brown/Johnny Chung fundraising years. Makes a fellow proud to be a member of the "little people's party", doesn't it?