No, I don't. I'm interested in hearing more about what he has to say on the issue. Given his good, conservative history as a Republican Senator, I don't believe that his mistaken support of CFR is a disqualifier. While I'm not thrilled with President Bush right now, given the alternatives (Rudy McRomney) if he was running I'd vote for him again and he SIGNED CFR into law. This really is a case of getting 80% to 90% of what I want in a candidate. I'm not going to disqualify him just because I can't get that last 10% from him.
Someone needs to ask Thompson if he will support this:
http://www.cfif.org/htdocs/freedomline/current/in_our_opinion/first_amendment_restoration.htm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 8, 2004
Contact: Marshall Manson
xxx.xxx.xxxx
Center Backs ‘First Amendment Restoration Act’
Urges Congress to Strike Limits on Free Speech ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Center for Individual Freedom today announced its support for H.R.3801, the First Amendment Restoration Act of 2004. The bill, introduced by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), would repeal provisions of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA) which silence interest groups in the days leading up to elections.
"This bill begins to repair the damage that BCRA did to our First Amendment rights," said Marshall Manson, the Center’s Vice President of Public Affairs. "Our founders specifically sought to protect political speech and the right to criticize government. BCRA undermines the First Amendment as it silences organizations like ours at times when such speech is most important. The Center supports this bill, and any other attempts to undo BCRA’s damage."
BCRA forces labor unions, corporations, non-profit groups, and others to pay for "electioneering communications" through Political Action Committees with contributions subject to federal limits. Electioneering communications include any broadcast, cable, or satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified federal candidate within thirty days of a primary or sixty days of a general election.
"Government should not be in the business of regulating, in any way, what citizens say about government. And in the case of BCRA, we’ve gone beyond regulation to brazen prevention of speech. It’s a direct attack on citizens’ individual liberty," said Manson. "Since the Courts won’t act to protect our rights, it’s time for Congress to do so."
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The Center for Individual Freedom is a nonpartisan constitutional advocacy group dedicated to protecting and defending individual freedoms and rights in the legal, legislative and educational arenas. The Center has been a consistent opponent of BCRA and was a plaintiff in McConnell v. FEC.