Clinton's campaign-finance reform may be less crusade than retreat

Some G.O.P. Senators are threatening a filibuster against Clinton's new campaign-finance proposal. The plan calls for some public financing of campaigns, and would bar big donors from dodging contribution limits by funneling funds through a presidential candidate's political party. The problem is that the proposal is heavy on concessions to reform-shy Democratic leaders and on retreats from Clinton's pledge to reduce the maximum contribution by a political-action committee to a congressional candidate from $5,000 to $1,000. Democratic Representative Mike Synar complained, "What the public got with this package does not meet their true test of reform."