[House Atreides]

“So does that mean that the mayor or city council of my town can pass a city ordinance prohibiting criticism of the city government?
I’d rather the first amendment apply to all levels of government.”
********************************************************************

I don’t know for sure (and don’t have the time currently to research it) but I would suspect many State constitutions would also have articles prohibiting restraint on freedom of speech.

Perhaps another FReeper knows this off the top of their head.

[PapaNew]

You do NOT want to enlarge the federal government's power by extending their power to enforce the first ten amendments. That was not the original intent of these amendments and would be a disastrous mistake. They were precisely pointed at the federal government, written and passed so the states would feel safer about creating a potentially dangerous central government and would ratify ratify the Constitution.

The Founders believed the states were in the hands of the people of each state and the people of each state would decide accordingly how to run things in their particular state. The only exception would be a clear constitutional violation that could be brought to federal court. The federal court or the Supreme Court are LIMITED to ruling on an INDIVIDUAL case regarding a clear constitutional issue and that's it.

It's good to remember that the federal government is not you friend. It will take anything and everything it can from you including your life if need be. The federal government is a necessary potential evil that can do some good if kept tightly within the limitations of its constitutional cage.