The soft money ban may not be unconstitutional, but a part of McCain-Feingold (the Snowe-Jeffords amendment) clearly is unconstitutional: it is a ban on advertising on radio or TV, which is a clear abridgement of free speech and freedom of the press, which is PRECISELY what the First Amendment forbids:
(excerpt)"Under the bill, labor unions and for-profit corporations would be prohibited from spending their treasury funds on "electioneering communications." "Electioneering communications" are defined as radio or TV ads that refer to a clearly identified candidate or candidates and appear within 30 days of a primary or 60 days of a general election.(end excerpt)
http://www.campaignfinancesite.org/l...on/mccain.html
FIRST AMENDMENT:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Now, can someone please explain how prohibition of advertising on radio and TV is not an abridgement of free speech or of freedom of the press? Somehow, I don't think anyone will be able to explain this--because it clearly is.