February 4, 2010

What Is the First Amendment For?

I have always advocated that freedom of speech is freedom of all speech, particularly political speech.  Let the good ideas as well as the bad compete unfettered by particularly the government.

Good read, especially if you consider yourself a conservative.

Story: What Is the First Amendment For?

"Citizens United v. Federal Election commission — the recent case in which the Supreme Court invalidated a statute prohibiting corporations and unions from using general treasury funds either to support or defeat a candidate in the 30 days before an election, and overruled an earlier decision relied on by the minority — has now been commented on by almost everyone, including the president of the United States in his state of the union address." 



"Only Thomas has the courage of the majority’s declared convictions. Often the most principled of the judges (which doesn’t mean that I always like his principles), he is willing to follow a principle all the way, and so he rebukes his colleagues in the majority for preferring the value of more information to the value the First Amendment mandates — absolutely free speech unburdened by any restriction whatsoever including the restriction of having to sign your name. Thomas has caught his fellow conservatives in a consequentialist moment."

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