Citizens United and Turkey
So now that the Turkish incumbents have been re-elected, the government will allow Twitter to be turned back on in the country.
I think that the vast, vast majority of Americans would agree that this turning off of a communications vehicle several weeks before an election was a pretty transparent dodge to protect incumbent politicians, and that most of us would oppose such steps -- even be outraged by them.
So why the hell was McCain-Feingold's ban on 3rd party ad-based communications 60 days prior to an election any different? These two steps seem absolutely identical to me, but my guess is most everyone agrees the Turkish actions were bad but the Citizens United decision that overturned the McCain-Feingold restrictions was met with much wailing and gnashing of teeth.
mahtso:
Maybe I am wrong, but the wailing and gnashing was from the liberals/Democrats only. And I suspect we will see more wailing and gnashing in response to yesterday's ruling eliminating the aggregate limit on contributions.
April 3, 2014, 9:29 amPinebluff:
Crony capitalism. The Democrats are protecting their pets in the mainstream media from any real competition. Low Information Voters and Low Information Media go and in hand.
April 3, 2014, 10:30 amMNHawk:
Dude, you don't know how scarey right you are.
“Let’s say you’re a person who doesn’t believe in undisclosed money; let’s say you’re a person who doesn’t want to go to a 501(c)(4) because you’re worried maybe there’ll be an IRS investigation sometime
down the road,” Schumer told reporters. “You can write one check to a joint committee of 232 House members and give them each the maximum.”
http://washingtonexaminer.com/chuck-schumer-supreme-court-ruling-makes-irs-less-of-a-deterrent-to-gop-donors/article/2546703
That is just so un-American, in so many ways.
April 3, 2014, 10:30 amMatthew Slyfield:
McCain-Feingold is different because CORPORATIONS AREN'T PEOPLE!!!!!!!!
Seriously, that's the level of reasoning the Demoratic parties base applies to this issue.
April 3, 2014, 10:54 amJohn O.:
The biggest problem from my perspective of those who argue against the Citizens United is their refusal and distaste to accept important legal abstractions just because it goes against their emotional-powered bandwagon.
April 3, 2014, 12:29 pmMatthew Slyfield:
Personally, I think you are giving them too much credit.
April 3, 2014, 1:15 pmFelineCannonball:
The whole thing is pretty amazing. Money is going up, but the impact of the additional money is going down down down. Battleground states in 2012 got something like 1000 dollars advertising per undecided voter, some of whom don't have TVs and most of whom are tuning nearly all of it out. The cost per thirty second spots is going through the roof for PACs. It's heavily regulated for candidates, but also rising. Anyway, a good time to own media stock.
April 3, 2014, 3:35 pmmarque2:
That is right! It would be very difficult to eat Soylent Green if it Corporations
April 4, 2014, 7:35 amQED
rst1317:
I agree. They're doing the same thing.
April 4, 2014, 8:18 amRick C:
The thing is, neither are unions. Therefore, this is another point where the liberal viewpoint is incoherent.
April 5, 2014, 12:36 am