Daily Campaign Finance Reform thread

[Valin]

Would you be willing to start a daily thread with this intent? Or conversely, a thread that is bumped to the top regularly? I would help. I have too many responsibilities to commit to hosting it. Lazamataz

To get this started my suggetion, Start putting pressure on your local rep. and senator to undo this monstrosity. Everytime you see them, ask them, What are you going to do about this? another idea, let them know that you are cutting back by 1/2 your contribution to them as a protest.

Pressure Pressure Pressure!

[proud American in Canada]

one last bump for the night.

Take care, anyone and everyone. I hope that people care...If not, the one thing you rely on might not exist... very soon, btw.

[proud American in Canada]

"I agree with you ping..."

a really tired, gotta put my kids to sleep and I hope that the message is passed along ping!

p.s. .. Merry Christmas, goodnight! :)

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I'm working on it... I can't tell you who is listening...

[proud American in Canada]

Hi,

a "thank you for your effort ping!*

And I mean that sincerely,... let's keep our eyes on the prize...


really!

we need to wake up conservative pubbies.. okay gotta go my kids are mad!

Thanks for your post, NMGA...

let's talk, girlfriend... ;)

[RightWingMama]

Isn't it fun having two Senators who you can count on helping you? </sarcasm>

[international american]

"Isn't it fun having two Senators who you can count on helping you? </sarcasm>"

Yeah, having two senators to help me into my grave:)

God Bless, IA

[Hoverbug]

This is a wonderful effort.

The fact remains though, that even if CFR is rescinded, the real damage has been done. The SC decision remains in law that the government has the legal ability to restrict free speech. The government now has a pre-approved wink-and-nod from the SCOTUS to ignore the Constitution.

I don't want to belittle the effort here. It is a good thing. But it aims at the wrong target. As on the Titanic, slowing the boat down after the collision(speed being the cause of the collision) didn't fix the hole in the hull under the waterline.

Get SCOTUS to reverse it's decision, and both CFR (the speed of the boat)and the real threat (the hole in the hull under the waterline) is gone in one stroke.

I wish you luck in the current endeavor.
Hb

[Valin]

I hate to be the pessimist, but I believe any repeal measure championed by Tancredo will be mugged in the shadows by Rove et al.

This is why we need to contact our reps, and senators. To depend on just one or two people in congress is a mistake.

I don't know that much about Tancredo, but he comes across to me as a bit of a one-trick pony(illegal immigration), and someone who doesn't carry a lot of weight in congress.

[Valin]

The reason I said 1/2 instead of ALL was, if you cut off all contributions two things could happen
1 (assuming his is someone you would normaly support ie conservative, or center-right) a leftist might win the election(note: this is what is known as a bad thing)
2 the candidate will write you off as a lost vote and will not pay any attention too you.

Remember the idea is to get this law replealed.

[Valin]

I saw a lot of passion yesterday. Where's the passion today, when we have a plan?


Because many here would rather curse the darkness than light a candle. Also if they really did something other than rant they might be forced to deal with someone who is less than 200% pure conservative, and we can't have that.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"How about "Give us back the First!" Or "Clean up Bush's mess."

That's funny!

You claim to have lost your First Amendment rights, all the while complaining loudly about it openly and with no fear of repercussion on this site.

There are some real dumb people in this world.

[jimkress]

Some will argue that, oh it's only certain groups of people who cannot speak or "it's only 60 days" or "complaining loudly about it openly and with no fear of repercussion on this site.", but that is a red herring.

Once the ability of the American people to manifest political speech has been limited, it is only a matter of time until that freedom to speak is reduced to complete uselessness. Indeed, ultimately we will be told we have the freedom of political speech but the only situation in which we will be able to exercise that 'freedom' will be when we are alone in the toilet.

The only really dumb people are the ones who refuse to come to grips with the reality that Congress has just decided (and the USSC has affirmed) we only have a right to free speech as defined by them.

[DustyMoment]

I understand your reasoning, however, this issue cuts across all political affiliation. This is a time when we must partner with our liberal friends to present a united front to the government. If we withhold money just from the Republicans, you are 100% correct; we screwed ourselves. However, if Republicans AND Democrats join forces to withhold money, our elected respresntatives have no choice but to pay attention. If you are a politician, half a loaf is still better than none.

I had a boss once who taught me a very important lesson about economics. If you wany someone's attention, you have to hit them with a bag of money. I think that advice is particularly applicable here.

We have to remember what the SC has done. In one fell swoop, they have abrogated our right to free speech; they have demolished the fundamental premise of our system of juris prudence, to wit: innocent until proven guilty. By upholding the unConstitutional provisions of CFR, the SC has, in effect, tried and convicted American campaign donors for causing political corruption without and charges or evidence. In so doing, they have also violated our 4th Amendment rights to see the evidence against us. What proof do they have that Americans who donate to political campaigns are involved in political corruption or attempting to buy political influence? Where is the evidence of that that caused them to uphold a clear violation of the First Amendment?

If we work together with our liberal friends to repeal CFR by denying ALL politicians any campaign contributions, they will be more motivated to repeal CFR. If we settle for cutting the donations in 1/2, it means they must work harder to shake lose more money and (if an incumbant) will likely miss more votes while on the campaign trail.

That's why I suggest we withhold it all. It sends the message faster and should generate quicker action. We both want the same goal and see different ways of getting there.

[DustyMoment]

Feel free to copy and paste to your heart's content. I'm proud to be on the bandwagon with you. You have done a great service yourself by contacting Mike Rosen.

The fat lady hasn't sung on this one, much less started warming up. This battle is just beginning and the Congress, the WH and the SC will quickly discover that this ruling "has awakened a sleeping giant."

[backhoe]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1038942/posts
Supreme Court Ruling on Campaign Finance Endangers Press Freedom
NLPC ^ | December 11, 2003 | Peter Flaherty
The leftist media will be running Dim campaign commercials 24/7 right up until the polls close, like they do every day.
The Republican viewpoint on TV will be silenced 60 days before the election.


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1038937/posts
Shut Up, They Explained (Congress, the president, and the courts team up to gag freedom of speech)
The American Prowler ^ | 12/12/2003 | Paul J. Cella III


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1038814/posts
The Wrong Kind of Censorship: A Supreme blow to the First Amendment
National Review Online ^ | December 11, 2003 | Jonah Goldberg


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1038802/posts
Fight Not Over for Campaign Finance Law
Yahoo/AP ^ | Thu Dec 11 | GINA HOLLAND

[backhoe]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1038819/posts
Libertarian Party: Campaign Finance Reform Ruling is Assault on Free Speech
Libertarian Party press release ^ | December 11, 2003 | George Getz

[backhoe]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1038979/posts
The games those Dems play: Kevin McCullough on efforts to flout McCain-Feingold law
WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Friday, December 12, 2003 | Kevin McCullough

[Smile-n-Win]

I mean, I've been a very strong GW supporter but if he doesn't come out strongly in favor of repealing this direct attack on the First Amendment.... I don't know. It's sickening.

The problem with Dubya is (and it is his one big problem) that he believes in "compassion." You cannot defend freedom effectively if your endeavors to do the right thing are constantly interrupted by pangs of "compassion" that make you feel you must give the UN a chance to be relevant, or dole out $15 billion to African dictators who claim to be against AIDS, or provide Medicare for seniors, or keep those poor politicians from being corrupted by the expensive speech of their critics.

What we need to make him understand is that compassion for your enemies is a betrayal of your friends--that you have to be true to your principles no matter how tearfully some people plead for your pity.

[Lazamataz]

SOMETHING has to be done about this (Court Decision).

Here, wind.

Morning BTTT.

[pgkdan]

Start putting pressure on your local rep. and senator to undo this monstrosity. Everytime you see them, ask them, What are you going to do about this? another idea, let them know that you are cutting back by 1/2 your contribution to them as a protest.

Good idea. I'm writing Warner, Allen and Ed Shrock today.