NYP: UN-FREE SPEECH--NIX THE POLITICAL GAG RULE

New York Post ^ | March 21, 2008 | Ryan Sager

[OESY]

The Supreme Court can do much today to remove the McCain-Fein gold speech-regulation law's stain if it decides to hear the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission....

The 2008 election season is well under way, yet political speech remains decidedly un-free in America- held hostage to the vanity of John McCain and the cynicism of his accomplices in Congress and the media, who seek to silence their political opponents in the name of clean government....

Citizens United, an activist conservative group, wants relief from burdensome disclosure and disclaimers rules in ads for its documentary, "Hillary: The Movie." While the film isn't necessarily the most high-minded of cinematic projects (...the script: "She is steeped in controversy, steeped in sleaze."), it is- as political speech- every bit as deserving of First Amendment protection as the newspapers of the early republic....

Yet, the DC district court says that if Citizens United wants to run ads for the movie - planned mostly to air on Fox News - it will have to include a voiceover disclaimer naming the group behind the ads and also disclose the source of funding for the ads. That is, it will have to follow the regulations governing campaign commercials, even though the district court itself has admitted that the movie ads don't fall under the law's definition of an "electioneering communication."

Citizens United balks at both requirements. First of all, it argues, if it's running 10-second ads, as it plans to, and four of those seconds must be dedicated to a voiceover disclaimer, then its speech is being unconstitutionally restricted. As for disclosure, Citizens United asks why its backers should be exposed to possible harassment from a hypothetical President Hillary Clinton - especially when they're contributing to no campaign and not even technically running a campaign ad....

[TomGuy]

political speech remains decidedly un-free in America- held hostage to the vanity of John McCain and the cynicism of his accomplices in Congress and the media, who seek to silence their political opponents in the name of clean government...

What would a President McCain do? Listen to him in his owns words:

McCain ended this short speech [just a few weeks ago] by vowing to continue to infringe on and quell First Amendment rights, when he says that 527's should be outlawed.

McCain a 'Proud Liberal'? (Video)

Watch this Must See video

[Just A Nobody]

yet political speech remains decidedly un-free in America- held hostage to the vanity of John McCain and the cynicism of his accomplices in Congress and the media, who seek to silence their political opponents in the name of clean government....

Clean government = oxymoron

it will have to follow the regulations governing campaign commercials, even though the district court itself has admitted that the movie ads don't fall under the law's definition of an "electioneering communication."

Then why in the H do they have to "follow the regulations"?
Oh yeah, because our tyrannical overlords in black robes decree it be so!
Folks had better stand up and fight this.

WAKE UP AMERICA!!!

[TomGuy]

from Protecting the 'quote First Amendment' by George Will.

On April 28, [2006] on Don Imus' radio program, discussing the charge that the McCain-Feingold law abridges freedom of speech by regulating the quantity, content and timing of political speech, John McCain did not really reject the charge:

"I work in Washington and I know that money corrupts. And I and a lot of other people were trying to stop that corruption. Obviously, from what we've been seeing lately, we didn't complete the job. But I would rather have a clean government than one where quote First Amendment rights are being respected that has become corrupt. If I had my choice, I'd rather have the clean government."

[Emphasis added]

[PGalt]

BTTT!

[sourcery]

"I work in Washington and I know that money corrupts. And I and a lot of other people were trying to stop that corruption. Obviously, from what we've been seeing lately, we didn't complete the job. But I would rather have a clean government than one where quote First Amendment rights are being respected that has become corrupt. If I had my choice, I'd rather have the clean government." [John McCain]

You won't get clean government no matter how comprehensive or drastic you make the restrictions on free speech or campaign contributions. To think otherwise reveals a defect of mind so severe as to render one unfit to be dog catcher, let alone Senator or President.

[Just A Nobody]

"I work in Washington and I know that money corrupts."

Boy oh boy...does he ever!!!

McCain's wife, Cindy, is the daughter of James Hensley, who is the second largest Anheuser-Busch distributor in the United States. McCain is an officer in Hensley & Co. and Cindy is a vice president. The McCain family owns several million dollars in Anheuser-Busch stock. As a part of an aggressive campaign to enhance its international standing in the beer market, Anheuser-Busch has been signing contracts and investing hundreds of millions building brewery operations in China and Vietnam.

After selling out American POWs to Vietnam, Kerry and McCain continued to profit financially from Communist nations and terrorist groups.

My first amendment rights in action! Should I hide under my bed when Johnny comes calling?