Big money does strange things in politics.
For example, does anyone else think the scene playing out on the hill over 527s is a bit, umm, odd?
According to Friday's New York Times, the Republicans want to crack down on these vehicles (dare we call them swift boats?) for unlimited donations, while Democrats are crying foul.
House GOP leaders and campaign finance stalwart Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) want to limit the amount of money 527s can collect and "force them to abide by the more stringent rules governing political committees if they are active in federal races."
For Republicans, the stated problem is that they are concerned -- deeply concerned -- that these nasty groups are pouring millions of dollars through a loophole in the 2002 campaign finance overhaul popularly known as McCain-Feingold.
Fretted House Majority Leader John Boehner:
"I think this leaves a gaping loophole in the McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill," the House majority leader, Representative John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, told reporters on Thursday, referring to a bill co-sponsored by Senator Russell D. Feingold, Democrat of Wisconsin. "I think it needs to be fixed."
Boehner, keep in mind, voted against the bill, along with 188 other members, almost all of whom were Republicans (including the GOP leadership of which he was not then a member).
Democrats, led by Nancy Pelosi, are up in arms that the GOP is just trying to score political points here.
So what's with the weird role reversal? Why is the GOP leadership suddenly so interested in the integrity of a law that all voted against and many denounced as unconstitutional? And why are the Democrats, who worked so hard to turn off the soft money faucet protective of 527s?
Money of course. While the GOP may have gotten the most bang for their 527 buck with Swiftboat Veterans for Truth, Democratic groups have been more munificent. In fact, in 2004 16 of the 20 biggest 527 groups favored Dems.
As the Times notes: "But Mr. Boehner's Democratic counterpart, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, denounced the effort, saying that Republicans could draw unlimited money from wealthy corporations and trade associations that used their own nonprofit arms to wage issue campaigns."
Like I said, big money does strange things to people.
Of course the Times also points out that the question is probably moot, as groups like MoveOn.org have already, err, moved on to the next big thing in campaign finance vehicles. Maybe the GOP would do well to dust off their old talking points and re-read the one about how campaign money is like water: If you stop up one campaign finance loop-hole, the money will just start trickling -- and then gushing -- out another.