Good News
The fundamental attack on free speech that McCain-Feingold foisted upon America has finally received recognition
from the federal judiciary. Portions of the BCRA got struck down today
in a lawsuit filed by a right-to-life group, as a judge ruled that the
campaign-finance restrictions violated the First Amendment...It's not for nothing that many have termed the BCRA the Incumbent
Protection Act. The restriction on political speech that keeps groups
from buying advertising that names politicians violates the fundamental
reason for the First Amendment -- to allow Americans to criticize their
elected officials. While the court did not recognize the entire
egregiousness of this BCRA provision, it did recognize that the idea of
never being able to name elected officials in advertising within 60
days of an election regardless of the nature of the reference is a
ludicrous standard.
Ray G:
It drives me nuts that so many people say - Repub and Dem - that this travesty only effects special interests. I am my own special interest!
"Well, it's not as if you are going to be launching an advertising campaign of your own. Only big money special interests do that."
I began to argue that point, but that still misses the real crux of the matter in that we have the right to such speech, regardless of who chooses to use it, and how. Saying that nefarious special interests abuse free speech, and thus we are to restrict it, is grossly dishonest, and just plain wrong.
Guess who I'm not voting for in 08, regardless of who else in running.
December 22, 2006, 1:01 pm