The Chicago Tribune opines:

On Thursday, Democrats muscled a bill through the U.S. House that they call the Disclose Act. The acronym stands for Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections. Rah, rah for transparency!

It's a fraud.

The real purpose of the bill is to impose restrictions on speech by corporations, nonprofit groups and others who express themselves through political campaign advertising. In January, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that limits on such spending are unconstitutional. House Dems searching for other ways to muzzle those groups came up with a set of wacky rules that seem destined to be struck down, too.

The Huffington Post reports:

Speaking before the House Democratic Caucus, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Cali.) Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), DCCC Chair Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) each spoke before their colleagues about the need to pass the DISCLOSE Act...The most impassioned pitch, according to multiple sources in the room, came from Van Hollen, the author of the bill. The Maryland Democrat urged his colleagues to not let criticism of parts of the final product -- mainly the exemption carved out for the National Rifle Association -- deter them from supporting a once-in-a-decade chance at reform.

Driving the point closer to home, the congressman hinted that many in the room would find themselves in electoral trouble this fall should the bill not pass..."I don't think I've seen him that impassioned," said another [Democratic Aide]

...The tactics used by leadership to push DISCLOSE over the final hurdle were based as much on political fear as philosophical persuasion. But they seemed to have a rallying effect...

Yep, effective health care reform, modernizing our financial regulatory system instead of further kludging up the old one, ending uncertainty to help in job creation is just blah, blah, blah for this Congress, what really gins up the passion is abridging free speech to help get them re-elected.

And minutes after the caucus meeting ended, a leading member of the Congressional Black Caucus (which has been noncommittal on the bill) penned a "Dear Colleague" letter offering her support and urging others to do the same.  "The DISCLOSE Act ensures that shadowy special interests and sham organizations are not able to hide their funders, and is critical if we ever hope to keep our constituents informed on who is trying to influence their vote," wrote Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex). "This bill breaks the "locks and chains" of 'big money" in our democratic process of elections. I would submit this is the time to move forward."

Let's de-Beltway that a little bit:

"The DISCLOSE Act ensures that shadowy special interests and sham organizations who oppose our policies are not able to hide protect their funders, and is critical if we ever hope to keep our jobs  constituents informed on who is trying to influence their vote," wrote Rep. Shiela Jackson Lee (D-Tex). "This bill restores breaks the "locks and chains" of forcing non-union 'big money" through candidates in our democratic process of elections. I would submit that with our approval rating in the low-20s this is the time to move forward."

And onto the half of the marketplace of ideas that is still open:

...organized labor leaders are waging an unusually aggressive, costly, and well-coordinated campaign to elect union-friendly Democrats this fall...Although the Supreme Court's landmark Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling did throw out the ban on direct corporate political spending, it also freed up unions to spend big money...Now unions and corporations have much more leeway.

"The Citizens United case has taken the lid off, and so we can use our soft money for express advocacy directly," said Larry Scanlon, political director for the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. AFSCME plans to spend more than $70 million in the coming election, Scanlon said. Its parent union, the AFL-CIO, is expected to spend some $50 million. The Service Employees International Union has a political budget of about $44 million, its officials said, up from $35 million in the previous midterm.

"Now unions and corporations have much more leeway" is the reality of the Citizens United decision. The reality of the Disclose Act is unions will get to keep their freedoms while businesses, government watchdogs, reform groups and ordinary citizens lose theirs.

Dizzy from the anxiety of a free electorate and consumed by a dark, insatiable passion for power the House yesterday did a great disservice to the very idea of America. It is up to the Senate to undo the damage done.