Constitutional Atrocity
Seen at Kim’s:
When Congress comes back into session, roughly 60 days before the November midterms, it will essentially be immune from criticism. That’s because Congress—acting, of course, only in the interest of “clean” politics—passed a ban on ads that mention federal candidates’ names in the window 60 days before the general election, as part of McCain-Feingold in 2002.
So, say the Senate takes up an immigration bill granting full amnesty to all illegal immigrants this fall—it will be almost impossible for grassroots groups to advertise against it, because they won’t be able to run ads during this period naming the people who are sponsoring or voting on the bills. Criticizing them by name during this window is against the law. You can’t ask voters to “call Congressman [So-and-So].”
First of all, that’s retarded. Secondly, I’ll continue to say whatever I choose to say on this here blog. Kim pledged:
If a conservative organization wants to run a political ad criticizing any Congressman up for re-election during that 60-day window, I’ll let them run one on this website, for free, right up until Election Day.
I’ll go a step further:
Any organization* that wants to run a political ad criticizing any politician in that window can do so here. Not only will I run the ad free, I’ll do a post on the ad on the front page.
I advise other bloggers to offer the same.
* The organization must pass the Uncle Sanity Test, i.e., no NAMBLA, Peta, or other weirdo extremists.
August 8th, 2006 at 10:52 am
If I still had a blog, I’d also make that offer.
August 8th, 2006 at 1:31 pm
If anyone actually read my blog, I’d also make that offer. 🙂
August 8th, 2006 at 3:48 pm
It seems a bit retarded, but why not just run the same ad without mentioning names? If Congress passes some atrocity, you could run an ad that attacks the law and even tells you how to find out who voted for or against it.
As an aside, I have a coworker who grew up in Argentina, and he said that there they ban campaigning of any kind — in-person, advertisement, etc. — for 72 hours prior to the election. He brought it up because he thought it was odd that campaign workers were allowed to camp outside the polling places and campaign right there.
August 8th, 2006 at 7:16 pm
Hey, whats wrong with the National Association of Marlon Brando Lookalikes?
August 8th, 2006 at 7:21 pm
Because pointing them to a non-journalistic source ends up being the same problem? If you point out a non-journalist website or even shopping catalogs, it’s the same violation of the law as if you had printed them yourself.
August 8th, 2006 at 9:27 pm
Campaign Finance Reform: just another example of how the two-party establishment is attacking the Bill of Rights (First Amendment in this case). Usually the only difference between the two is which of the Bill of Rights they try to deny and take from us, but it seems now they’re joining forces for an all-out “assault” which reminds me of one of the few rollbacks of tyranny when the so-called “assault weapons” ban died a Constitutionally righteous death in Sept 2004 because of lack of support in “the peoples” House.
August 9th, 2006 at 8:38 am
[…] Yesterday, I made this pledge: Any organization* that wants to run a political ad criticizing any politician in that window can do so here. Not only will I run the ad free, I’ll do a post on the ad on the front page. […]
August 9th, 2006 at 5:05 pm
Hmmm… isn’t this the same a donating money to a campaign and doesn’t that have to be reported? In the case of my blog that might be worth something like $1.43 for 90 days, but for others you might run into some trouble with the law unless you are careful. And just because it’s ‘free’ does that get you out of the grasp of the long arm of this terrible law?
Assuming those questions can be answered satisfactorily you can “sign me up”.
August 9th, 2006 at 6:02 pm
Joe, to my knowledge, the internets are exempt from these regulations. YMMV, consult your lawyer.
August 10th, 2006 at 3:10 pm
Free Speech
Following Say Uncle and the Constitutional Atrocity post:
This is a free-speech blog. Any organization* that wants to run a political ad criticizing any politician can do so here.
Actually since I don’t run ads, whatever – maybe I’ll start runn…
August 10th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
I don’t run ads, yet…
August 10th, 2006 at 8:36 pm
I plan to join you. Excellent idea. You are not only gentlemen but also scholars. Well, I don’t really know if you’re gentlemen either.
August 11th, 2006 at 8:25 am
[…] Make a pledge for free speech: Any organization* that wants to run a political ad criticizing any politician in that window can do so here. Not only will I run the ad free, I’ll do a post on the ad on the front page. […]
August 11th, 2006 at 9:33 am
[…] First, Kim. Then me. Then xrlq and Jolie Rouge. Now, two more of joined the pledge that the McCain-Feingold incumbent protection act err Campaign Finance Reform doesn’t apply to them: […]
August 11th, 2006 at 9:54 am
PETA might be a big loony but they’re no NAMBLA. Perhaps you shouldn’t lump them together.
Plus PETA get models to protest in the nude.
August 11th, 2006 at 10:41 am
Why the hell not? One group lobbies for the right to bugger little boys, the other one actually kills thousands of innocent dogs, and lobbies for the right to kill humans by denying them access to most forms of modern medicine. If anything the comparison is too hard on NAMBLA, who only wants to *()$ your kid rather than to kill him.
August 16th, 2006 at 1:07 pm
[…] He linked you to a category. If you’re curious what I’m talking about, see here. Make your own pledge for free speech: Any organization* that wants to run a political ad criticizing any politician in the McCain-Feingold 60-day window can do so here. Not only will I run the ad free, I’ll do a post on the ad on the front page. […]
August 16th, 2006 at 9:32 pm
[…] Say Uncle gets an Instapundit link to this! […]
September 5th, 2006 at 8:15 am
[…] Here’s my offer: Any organization* that wants to run a political ad criticizing any politician in that window can do so here. Not only will I run the ad free, I’ll do a post on the ad on the front page. […]