The Democrats have spent $70 million on "527" ads on television condemning George Bush and praising John Kerry. The Republicans have spent $3 million. That's a 23:1 ratio. Those Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads, though, have by far been the most affective. Kerry is taking a hit from the Swiftees, so he demands that George Bush condemn the ads. What does the press do? Do they ask John Kerry if he condemns the Moveon.org and Media Fund ads funded by the mysterious Hungarian international financier George Soros? Nope .. they just run straight to Bush and ask him if he's going to condemn the Swiftee's ads.
Which brings us to this ......
"I don't think we should have any 527s." The words of George Bush.
Wrong.
There should be absolutely no restrictions whatsoever on any group, political, religious, social .. whatever .. pooling their resources to let other people know how they feel on a political issue and encouraging others to support or join them. It's all in keeping with a pesky little thing called freedom of speech. Any government that restricts the ability of any group of people to express their political desires and concerns in whatever forum is available to them is not a government that can claim to protect free speech.
Nowhere is freedom of speech more important than in the political arena. This is where Americans left and right express their views, their concerns and their preferences on matters that will affect their lives and the lives of their children years into the future. Political ads are merely the expressions of the political thoughts and attitudes of one or a group of Americans. There should be no federal law of any nature whatsoever which prevents the American people from voicing their views on political issues, or any other issues. The McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform law that Bush signed is an obscenity .. and when the Supreme Court upheld that law it was a clear signal to the American people that the cherished concept of freedom of speech was on its way out.
Which brings us to this ......
"I don't think we should have any 527s." The words of George Bush.
Wrong.
There should be absolutely no restrictions whatsoever on any group, political, religious, social .. whatever .. pooling their resources to let other people know how they feel on a political issue and encouraging others to support or join them. It's all in keeping with a pesky little thing called freedom of speech. Any government that restricts the ability of any group of people to express their political desires and concerns in whatever forum is available to them is not a government that can claim to protect free speech.
Nowhere is freedom of speech more important than in the political arena. This is where Americans left and right express their views, their concerns and their preferences on matters that will affect their lives and the lives of their children years into the future. Political ads are merely the expressions of the political thoughts and attitudes of one or a group of Americans. There should be no federal law of any nature whatsoever which prevents the American people from voicing their views on political issues, or any other issues. The McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform law that Bush signed is an obscenity .. and when the Supreme Court upheld that law it was a clear signal to the American people that the cherished concept of freedom of speech was on its way out.
