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Show M J- Your Man In Washington By U.S. Senator Orrin G. Hatch A Dangerous Plan Before Congress party and third-party candidates. can-didates. Senator Lowell Weicker (R-Conn) says the idea is "mislabeled 'reform', and is motivated solely by politicians' self-interest. self-interest. ..once the government govern-ment gains control... the people will no longer have the final say. " What are these distinguished gentlemen talking about? The Public Financing of Senate General Elections -- a bill that would use money designated by the people through the income tax check-off system, and eventually from the general treasury, to finance political elections of candidates for federal office. As Senator John Tower (R-Texas) has said, "Such a proposal is constitutionally con-stitutionally repugnant." ' mon sense and against every tradition of democracy. " Political conservative, former New York Senator James L. Buckley says this bill will...'Yay abridge first amendment rights of political expression, (b) add still further to advantages ad-vantages of incumbency, (c) discourage grass roots participation in politics, (d) debase political debate, (e) increase the political power of certain well-organized well-organized groups and if) discriminate against new- At the Democratic National Committee luncheon in late April, President Jimmy Carter said..." there is one thing I am determined to dp... it is to restore a well-deserved well-deserved reputation within the Democratic Party for fiscal responsibility. For too long we have been stigmatized with a reputation reputa-tion of inadequate planning, plan-ning, irresponsible spending, spend-ing, uncontrolled growth, lack of commitment and an absence of communications... communica-tions... " The President is now actively supporting a concept con-cept in the United States Senate which contradicts much of what he said in that luncheon address. The measure in question could, by 1980, cost Utah and American taxpayers an estimated $19.8 million. In 1978, the management costs of this concept will exceed $1.1 million. Proponents say this program is necessary to stop lingering "Watergate" "Water-gate" problems. The Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities (the Watergate Committee) disagrees. In its final report of June, 1974, the committee said it "opposes the various proposals pro-posals offered in the Congress" Con-gress" which would accomplish ac-complish this purpose. Former Senator Eugene McCarthy ID-Minn), ID-Minn), a self-proclaimed liberal, has said, "the whole concept is alien to American constitutional philosophy and to our traditions. ..having government control (this) process goes against com- |