[conservatism_IS_compassion]

The First Amendment does not give politicians or media the right to lie; if/when found lying they lose their right to speak for a period of time. They must register their proposed comments with a government agency who will decide if they are permitted to make them.

It is hard to tell if you are in the spirit of sarcasm of this article, or not - because so many FReepers actually do think that the First Amendment carries an obligation with it. How can a limitation on government power create an obligation?? It cannot.

[JimRed]

It is hard to tell if you are in the spirit of sarcasm of this article, or not...

Simply put, it illustrates how the same kind of rules applied to a different amendment would be "over the top". Requiring an application (an illegal infringement in itself) and denying it because the applicant can't "show a need" (the carry permit standard in New Jersey) denies almost all our non-connected citizens the right to armed self-defense outside the home.

So, propose to limit the first amendment the same way then when they howl about thier rights ask "why one but not the other?" It won't affect the hard core hoplophobes, but it may awaken the well meaning misinformed masses.