The First Amendment Action Network- a joint project between
The American Conservative Union and FreeRepublic Network
Posted on 03/20/2002 1:06:31 PM PST by diotima
WHY CAMPAIGN FINANCE "REFORM" IS BAD FOR AMERICA!
1. IT STIFLES FREE SPEECH! The First Amendment of the Constitution states...
"CONGRESS shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the
right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of
grievances."
The restrictions this bill places on political advertising 60 days before an election and 30 days before a
primary directly impact the freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment. The Representatives,
Senators and President that we elect all swear an oath to preserve and protect the Constitution - NOT to
ignore and undermine the Constitution.
2. IT EMPOWERS THE MEDIA! While groups are restricted in putting on ads before an election, the
broadcast media will increase its power to “educate” voters. TV and radio reporters have a long history of
putting their own bias into candidate profiles and interviews, and the media conglomerates are highly
selective about what they cover. An opponent's events are just politics, but anything the incumbent does is
considered news.
3. IT EMPOWERS INCUMBENTS! By making less information available about candidates in the critical time period before elections, incumbents are removing another source of criticism about their records. Shortly before elections is the precise time when most voters are seeking out such information. That's why knowledgeable people refer to this bill as: The Incumbent Security Act. The impact of this bill would mean that incumbents are more likely to stay in office than ever before.
4. IT KEEPS VOTERS IN THE DARK! As a voter, you deserve the opportunity to make up your own
mind about the candidates with information from any source you choose.
5. IT DISCOURAGES VOTER PARTICIPATION! Campaign reform proponents say voter apathy and cynicism demands that the influence of "special interests" in politics be reduced. Voters are not cynical
because of how much money is spent on election campaigns. They are cynical because they believe their
elected officials rarely do what is best for the country, but more often do what is best to stay in office. AND BINGO! Campaign Finance Reform will help keep incumbents in office!
RELEVANT QUOTATIONS ABOUT FREEDOM OF SPEECH
In the free society ordained by our constitution, it is not the government, but the people--individually as citizens and candidates and collectively as associations and political committees--who must retain control over the quantity and range of debate on public issues in a political campaign. - U.S. Supreme Court, Buckley v. Valeo
The liberty of speaking and writing guards our other liberties. - Thomas Jefferson
View Message from David Keene: The chairman of the ACU discusses the next stage in the struggle over Campaign Finance Reform, and what you can do to take action to stop it.
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Join First Amendment Action Network HERE
CALL PRESIDENT BUSH TODAY! TELL HIM TO VETO CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM AND PROTECT YOUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS!
WHITE HOUSE SWITCHBOARD: 202-456-1414
WHITE HOUSE FAX: 202-456-2461
EMAIL: president@whitehouse.gov
Compiled by The Free Republic Network - www.freerepublic.net
Special thanks to dittomom and the Leadership Council for the talking points!
Now, I will go talk to my friends, okay? And A Citizen Reporter can very well defend herself, she doesn't need me or anyone else to do it. My comments were made because I wanted to be serious, when now I realize that everything is so very funny to you. :-)
I sent my message; he sent his, and I think that either way he kills the unconstitutionality of the law, while in the process making John McCain look like the total dweeb that he is...except it won't be the PRESIDENT doing it, it will be SCOTUS. :-)
Whenever it comes to issues that I am really interested in, such as Constitutional Questions, bioethics, pro-life issues, and Government Corruption, I usually am very serious on those threads.
I have just learned in the past to not be surprised by what Bush does and the only way I can deal with his wayward actions is with humor, even if it is dry.
Could anything cause you to lose it?
Is there any line you'd draw?
No... All of the sudden, it's his responsibility.
There's a Constitutional process that's taking place. Anti-Free Speech folks in the House and the Senate have pushed this CFR garbage onto the President's desk.
Now, he has a decision... comes with the job.
I'm still hopeful he'll make the right one.
What you don't know who that is.... The guy who couldn't get 100,000 votes in 2000.
And I trust that you are not among those who have already decided what he is going to do? I want to know where are the freepers who are holding their senators accountable for what they've already done. Funny how I've seen so little discourse on this site about that......
How about this,
Now some may not care about the "Bill of Rights and the Constitution", but most of us here do.
And no, I am not an in the closet liberal for being critical of George W.; I would rather be an elephant than a jackass any day.
Well, there hasn't been much discourse on how brilliant and infallible too many Senators are.
My hunch is Bush will sign this, and many will call him a genius for doing so.
My hope is that he vetoes it, and then of course, many here will hail him as a genius for doing so.
In the latter case, I'll definitely applaud.
Just the big cats. I also like prehistoric critters.
People here will scream kick and stamp their feet because it didn't go THEIR WAY.
My KIDS do not get away with that...even when they think they are RIGHT.
Now that was funny. OF COURSE, with my long record of luck with you, you will have meant it to be serious.
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