Control campaign coffers

FOR years, Democrats on Capitol Hill have complained about Republicans blocking campaign-finance reform. They pledged that with Bill Clinton in the White House, the job would finally get done.

Well, two weeks remain in the current congressional session, and still, lawmakers haven't completed an overhaul of campaign-finance rules.

That isn't to say they aren't close. Both the House and Senate have approved reform legislation. What remains is to reconcile the differences between the two versions.

Unfortunately, House Democrats are balking at a proposal approved by the Senate and supported by President Clinton that would reduce the amount a political-action committee could contribute to a candidate from $10,000 to $5,000 per election cycle.

The president promised to change the ways of Washington.

You'd think he would bully his pals. Or is their shameless behavior the measure of his effectiveness?