Left Speechless

I have long railed against McCain-Feingold. At it's best, it makes George Soro's the most influential man in US elections through the use of the 527' loophole creating political juggernauts like Moveon.org, funded by a few billionares hell bent on putting their favorites in office. At it's worst, it makes it impossible for the average citizen to afford to run for office. Unless you are among the millionare elite, you cannot fund a campaign against an incumbant because of the money-flow restrictions deliberately put in place by these power-hungry maniacs.

From IBD:
Posted 5/23/2006

First Amendment: How ironic that Sen. John McCain was heckled during a recent commencement speech. He has worked so hard to suppress others' right to protest and have their voices heard.

McCain was booed and heckled as he delivered a commencement speech at The New School in New York last Friday. The main gripe seemed to be the senator's support for the war in Iraq, which has given the people of Iraq the right to protest and speak freely.

As this was going on, a federal court was telling the Christian Civic League in Maine it can't run a radio ad next month when the Senate is set to take up the Marriage Protection Amendment. Reason: The ad tangentially criticizes Sen. Olympia Snowe, who faces a primary June 13.

The McCain-Feingold campaign finance law, which was supposed to end the alleged corrupting influence of money in politics, makes it a criminal act for any ad to even mention a politician 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a general election.

The Maine ad that tries to corrupt the political process mentions that Snowe, a co-author of McCain-Feingold, "unfortunately . . . voted against the Marriage Protection Amendment two years ago." The "big money" behind it amounts to $3,992, provided by an anonymous donor who agreed to cover the radio buy.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., ruled that the ad "might have the effect of encouraging a new candidate to oppose Sen. Snowe, reducing the number of votes cast for her in the primary, weakening her support in the general election, or otherwise undermining her efforts to gather support, including by raising funds for her re-election."

Well, duh. Meanwhile, Maine newspapers, radio and TV stations, are free to influence the election, spending their corporate dollars on editorials or news coverage that is often slanted one way or the other. But a group of private citizens banding together in common cause cannot, for they'd be committing the crime of attempting to participate in the political process.

As we promote democracy in the Middle East we suppress it here at home. And while some oppose tinkering with the Constitution with amendments defining marriage or banning the burning of the American flag, they stand silently by as it's amended by stealth, as with McCain-Feingold.

Late last month, McCain responded to the issue of whether the legislation that bears his name abridged our freedom of speech by saying, in essence, that he didn't mind if it did. McCain said he'd "rather have a clean government than one where, quote, First Amendment rights are being respected that has become corrupt."

Imagine that: putting quotation marks around "First Amendment rights." That First Amendment is such a nuisance. Exactly which part of "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging freedom of speech" does the senator not understand?

To silence political opposition is not reform; it is incumbent protection. In any other context, it would be called censorship. In any other country, it would be called repression.

We support John McCain's right to be heard. We also support the right of groups like the Christian Civic League of Maine to be heard as well. We are Investor's Business Daily, and we approve this message.