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indicates that corruption is as prevalent as ever. And, in yet another example of the law of unintended consequences, the so-called reforms have also trampled grassroots involvement, First Amendment rights, and made it extremely difficult to unseat those already in office.

Our most notable, recent campaign finance reform crusader, Senator John McCain, once declared that he was ready to "bloody the floor of the Senate until they accede to the demands of the people." The unexpressed accusation behind McCain's "reform" was that candidates themselves benefited, that they somehow pocketed this loot, either in perks or in future benefits. While his ideas read well and made terrific sound bites, the plan was basically flawed and surely misdirected. The problem was (and is), what McCain ascribed to the people, i.e. to end "legal bribery" posing as fund raising, was, at its core, an idea he promoted during his own campaignsHIS idea. The fact that virtually all campaign donations wound up in the coffers of the very people who were ballyhooing McCain's plan was never mentioned.

It's no wonder the Media fell in love with McCain's proposals. In all of his fuss over campaign financing, what was not reported was that they (the Media) are the true beneficiaries of all campaign largesse.

Instead of questioning their own enormous profit at the expense of good government, they focus on dollar amounts versus time and other irrelevancies.

The bottom line that we are never shown is that the Media itself ultimately benefits from political campaign spending. Taking into account the Media's overwhelming influence, the enormous amounts spent on campaign advertising should be construed as de facto bribery.

For real reform, the Media should either provide free campaign advertising, equally across the board for all opposing candidates. As an alternative, paid campaign advertising should be banned in its entirety. Most Americans would probably prefer the latter. Who doesn't get sick of the endless stream of absolutely meaningless campaign ads cluttering our mailboxes, disrupting our television schedules, and polluting our street corners?

In a land dominated by Media, we can't expect them to endorse such a costly move, yet we can hope and maybe even pray that the Internet will someday supplant the existing Media with free and equal access to all.

Learn more about this author, Earl Mcgill.
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