Free Republic

<p>The Supreme Court's Dec. 10 decision upholding the May 2002 campaign finance reform law was, in its own way, as great an attack on American liberty as the terror attacks of September 11, 2001.</p> <p>The wording of the First Amendment, that "Congress shall make no law," etc., is clear. The Founders and Framers understood that opposition to tyranny required the free expression of ideas, consistent with the general welfare.</p>

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that the government can ban campaign contributions from advocacy groups, a warm-up decision to the showdown over the broader new campaign finance law. Justices rejected a constitutional challenge to the 32-year-old federal donation ban, which applies to groups with a point of view on issues such as gun rights and abortion. The case, involving a North Carolina anti-abortion organization, was a prelude to the court's handling of the 2002 campaign finance law. By a vote of 7-2, the court said the right to free speech does not trump Congress' goal of limiting the corrosive effects...