The Boston Globe: on Government Reform
Barack Obama:
Constitutional Amendment to overturn Citizens United
President Barack Obama says the nation should consider mobilizing behind a constitutional amendment process to overturn the Supreme Court ruling that loosened restrictions on money in politics.
Obama made the comment Wednesday in an online chat with the website Reddit. The 2010 Citizens United ruling paved the way for a flood of campaign cash from corporations, unions and wealthy interests.
The president says that even if the amendment process fell short, "it can shine a spotlight" on super PACs and, in his words, "help apply pressure for change."
Obama says that in the meantime there's a need for more disclosure of the large campaign contributions flowing into super PACs and that such contributions, quote, "fundamentally threaten to overwhelm the political process."
Source: Boston Globe, "Amendment on Money in Politics"
Aug 30, 2012
Mitt Romney:
Balanced budget amendment and line-item veto
- Opposed tax increases and new payroll taxes
- Supported balanced budget amendment and line-item veto
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Suggested savings could be made through cutbacks in the federal work force, reforms in the Medicaid system, and cuts in farm subsidies.
Source: Boston Globe, review of 1994 campaign issues
Mar 21, 2002
Anthony Kennedy:
Favors states’ rights, usually
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices and two of the swing justices, including Kennedy, usually support states’ rights.
Kennedy is usually conservative, and part of the majority bloc that favors states’ rights, but voted against states that wanted to outlaw flag burning.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
Antonin Scalia:
For states’ rights; limit court role
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices, including Scalia, and two of the swing justices usually support states’ rights.
Scalia interprets the Constitution literally and is a strong states’ rights advocate. Favors limited role for courts in the three-branch system of government.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
Clarence Thomas:
Limited role for courts; narrow Constitional interpretation
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices, including Thomas, and two of the swing justices usually support states’ rights.
Thomas, sees limited role for the court; reads constitutional guarantees narrowly.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
David Souter:
Backs federal powers over states’ rights
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices and two of the swing justices, including Souter, usually support states’ rights.
Souter frustrates conservatives by consistently backing federal powers. He’s a leader of the four-justice minority trying to slow movement to states’ rights.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
John Paul Stevens:
Against state term limits on candidates for congress
Stevens favors abortion rights, affirmative action, and defendants’ rights. His 1995 opinion struck down state term limits on candidates for congress.
(X-ref government) Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
John Paul Stevens:
Votes with liberal bloc against states’ rights
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices and two of the swing justices usually support states’ rights [while the liberal bloc,
including Stevens, do not].Stevens favors abortion rights, affirmative action, and defendants’ rights. His 1995 opinion struck down state term limits on candidates for congress.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
Ruth Bader Ginsburg:
Votes with liberal bloc against states’ rights
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices and two of the swing justices usually support states’ rights [while the liberal bloc,
including Ginsburg, do not].Ginsburg is considered liberal but has voted with the conservative wing, most notably in a dissenting opinion that states have broad powers to limit jury awards.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
Sandra Day O`Connor:
Limit federal courts on state powers
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices and two of the swing justices, including O’Connor, usually support states’ rights.
O’Connor sides with the conservative wing on limiting intrusions by federal courts on state powers. She also has a role as the centrist coalition builder.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
Stephen Breyer:
Votes with liberal bloc against states’ rights
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices and two of the swing justices usually support states’ rights [while the liberal bloc,
including Breyer, do not].Breyer is a consistently liberal voice on the court. He recently affirmed the right of disabled people to sue states under federal civil rights law.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
William Rehnquist:
States’ rights over federal power
The nine court members can be divided into three general alliances, but all of the justices have crossed ideological lines. The three conservative justices, including Rehnquist, and two of the swing justices usually support states’ rights.
Rehnquist, a big states’ rights advocate, the conservative chief justive has led the charge to cut back the federal government’s power over the states.
Source: Reuters article in Boston Globe, p. A45
Dec 1, 2000
John McCain:
Veto any pork-barrel bill
“I will refuse to sign any pork-barrel bill that crosses my desk,” McCain says. “And if Congress overrides my veto and tries to force me to waste your money, I’ll make sure you know who they are, every single one of them.” It does not seem to be an idle
threat. McCain scrutinizes all spending bills, looking for frivolous projects - even if they are intended for Arizona. Appropriators have been known to warn fellow lawmakers not to push for a project unless they are willing to be revealed by McCain.
Source: Boston Globe, “Political Notebook”, p. A16
Dec 5, 1999
John McCain:
Influence peddling helps the Chinese Army
McCain presents himself as an independent voice for reform of the political system, and places his campaign finance ideas at the fore of his presidential bid. He regularly calls the current system “an elaborate influence-peddling scheme.” The McCain
campaign contends that “these lobbyists need to protect their self-interest so much that they’re willing to allow the Chinese Army to continue to make contributions to our political system,” according to McCain’s press secretary.
Source: Jill Zuckman, Boston Globe, p. A3
Sep 20, 1999
Steve Grossman:
Low voter participation is a “national disgrace”
Voter turnout in our 1998 midterm elections dropped to a mere 36% of the electorate, the lowest rate since 1942. This is a national disgrace. As a small-businessman, I focus every day on developing products and services that are tailored to
customer needs. When I have looked at potential voters as “consumers” and the voting process as “product,” it has been clear to me that as political leaders we have not responded meaningfully to the changing behavior of our electoral consumers.
Our product-our voting process-is stagnant, and its delivery is irrelevant to tens of millions of our fellow citizens.
Today, people work longer hours and frequently at more than one job. At home, they care for aging parents and young children.
Some consider it a simple task to register to vote and show up on election day. For too many, however, it is an added burden that cannot be realistically accommodated.
Source: Boston Globe, Op-Ed, “Improve Voter Turnout”
Mar 19, 1999
Steve Grossman:
Use mail-in voting, and vote over several days
Political leadership must respond to today’s rapidly changing and more demanding lifestyles by making more imaginative use of innovation and technology. While winning campaigns have adopted technology to expand a candidate’s reach, our national political
structure does not regularly use these tools to increase voter turnout. Knowing that the pool of people able to leave work or a child in their care between 9 AM and 3 PM on a weekday was decreasing, banks created the ATM, available 24 hours a day, 7
days a week. US elections could experience increased participation by permitting voting over several days or weekend voting. France, Argentina, Ecuador, and Australia are among the nations with a 65 percent or higher voter turnout and have Saturday and
Sunday voting.
The mail-order business has seen unprecedented growth in the last decade. Perhaps the millions who shop by mail might vote by mail. Voters in Oregon achieved success in a historic 1996 US Senate all-mail ballot election.
Source: Boston Globe, Op-Ed, “Improve Voter Turnout”
Mar 19, 1999
Page last updated: Oct 11, 2020