Outside Washington, not many care about campaign finance

The debate hasn't gripped the Mahoning Valley, or virtually anywhere else, a national political strategist says.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Campaign finance reform tops the U.S. Senate's agenda and is the frequent topic of discussion on television news shows.
But it isn't even a blip on the Mahoning Valley radar screen, and we're not alone.
Joel Blackwell, a national political strategist who operates a media relations and lobbying firm in Reston, Va., a Washington, D.C., suburb, said most people couldn't care less about campaign finance reform.
Complex issue: Even those who are interested, for the most part, do not have a clear understanding of a complex issue, he said.
"People have a grass-roots sense that something is wrong and they don't like the money in politics," Blackwell said. "But you ask how to take care of the problem and they have not a clue. It's all bribery to them."
Mahoning Valley residents questioned about their feelings and knowledge of campaign finance reform admit they have little interest in the subject. Many did not even want to discuss it.
"They're still going to get money one way or the other, whether they get it legitimately or illegally," said Dom Buzzacco of Boardman. "How much can we do about it? Who cares if you can't do anything about it."
Ruth and Robert Murphy of Austintown said they are concerned. They want restrictions on foreign donations given to candidates, but they were vague on how it could be done.
Senate debate: The Senate is debating limitations on largely unrestricted "soft money" donations that corporations, unions and individuals give to political parties, as well as limits on the amounts given directly to candidates and restrictions on certain types of political advertising.
Donna Rivers of Youngstown doesn't know anything about campaign finance reform and, even if she did, "It's no business of mine," she said. "It doesn't matter to me."
Jeni McCabe of Columbiana said campaign finance reform holds no interest to her.
National ranking: An ABC News poll conducted in January ranked campaign finance 16th out of 18 of the most important national issues facing the country. It got 3 percent of the vote in a Princeton Survey poll released this month on the most important issue facing President Bush.
A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll taken in early March showed that only 10 percent of those asked followed the debate over campaign finance closely, 39 percent said somewhat closely and 51 percent said they did not follow it at all or not so closely.
It's nothing new. Polls show people have not cared about campaign finance reform for quite some time.
A Zogby International poll conducted in December 1999 showed that only 1 percent of those polled felt campaign finance reform was the most important issue facing the next president.
At Traficant's office: At U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr.'s Washington, D.C., office, there is only a trickle of letters, e-mails and telephone calls from constituents up in arms about campaign financing, said Charles Straub, the congressman's spokesman.
About four to five letters are sent to Traficant a month about the issue, he said.
"A lot of letters on campaign finance are reflective of what's portrayed on the nightly political shows," Straub said. "The letters support campaign finance reform in one way or another."
Blackwell, who conducted surveys of focus groups in nine states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania, said most people get blank expressions on their face when they are asked specifically what should be done to change the federal campaign finance laws.
Those who contribute money to candidates or political parties usually have positive things to say about the process while those who do not donate generally oppose it, he said.