Freedom to Censor
by Tim SlagleIt always happens. When the mainstream media thinks they are on the heavy side of popular opinion they take a poll and run with it. In a recent poll by ABC and the Washington Post, they determined that 80% of America was opposed to the recent Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC. I would have like to seen something much more relevant, like how many people know that the case before the Supreme Court was even called “Citizens United v. FEC?”
Because I’m fairly certain that that few people know anything about the decision. The 80% figure reflects more than public opinion, it reflects how well the mainstream media has been obfuscating the reality of the case.
Not that it’s relevant anyway. Despite popular opinion, America was never intended to be a Democracy. In the immortal words of James Madison: “…democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.” (Federalist #10)
Polls like this are most often used to give the impression that America is broken, and we need a fix. What most people don’t understand, is that our government was designed to run contrary to popular opinion, since popular opinion can be as fickle as Tiger Woods infatuations.
When Bill Clinton was being impeached it was very popular to take polls measuring how many Americans were opposed to the proceedings. Our Founders anticipated that majority sentiment might be in favor of holding onto a bad president, and shopped that job out to the Senate. At the time, the Senate was an appointed body, and immune to the winds of populism.
Strangely, when the Democrats are on the losing side of the poll, they are drawn to Republicanism quicker than an accused felon finds religion. Polls that indicate Same-Sex Marriage and Late Term Abortions are opposed by the majority of Americans, rarelyget published. Nobody seemed to really care that the majority of Americans opposed Roe v. Wade back in 1973.
The question asked by ABC and the Washington Post was: “do you support or oppose the recent ruling by the Supreme Court that says corporations and unions can spend as much money as they want to help political candidates win elections?”
No bias there. It sounds suspiciously close to Constitutional Professor Obama’s summation of the case: “Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests – including foreign corporations – to spend without limit in our elections.”
I wonder how many realize that the first amendment protections on free speech were at stake in Citizens United? And I’m not talking in a rhetorical sense either. The actual case was based on whether a corporation had the right to distribute a motion picture. The US district Court of DC had decided that “Hillary; the Movie” could not be distributed as a Pay-Per-View” movie, because it said unkind things about a US Senator and was produced by a Corporation.
All movies today are produced by corporations. Why even the Anti-Corporate propaganda film “The Corporation’ was produced by the Big Picture Media Corporation. (Who says “Irony is dead?’) Allowing the Federal Government the power to decide whether or not a movie can be viewed is something the entire nation should rally against. Arguments in front of the Court actually suggested that if this ruling were to stand, that corporations would not even be allowed to print newspapers or books if the FEC determined them to be “electioneering communication”
I think if someone over at ABC or the Washington Post had actually read the case, they might have come up with a little different question, like: ”Do you Support the recent Supreme Court decision that prevents the Federal Government from controlling which movies you can watch in your own home on Pay-Per-View?” You might have seen a little different result.
You would think Newspapers and Broadcasting Corporations would be a little more sensitive about this stuff.
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215 Comments
Thanks for the very informative and prescient article, Mr.Slagle. The msm and BHO, doublespeak, anyone?
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Hanzo
Control the premise, control the outcome!!
Every 'good' or rather proficient attorney knows that the answer to any question can be predicated by the question. In other words, ask the question the right way, get the answer you want. The author of this article is exactly right. My own take on the SCOTUS, CU vs. FEC is that if you cannot control all the parties in question, control none of them. If the prevailing rules were intended to keep unions form flooding in contributions as well as corporations then why was SEIU able to buy Obama's office. (something they proudly proclaim). Additionally why is it OK for one CORPORATION who happens to OWN a media outlet (GE owns MSNBC) to be able to have political commentary, which in MSNBC's case is profoundly biased?
Would the MSM stack the deck? Absolutely! They sold their soul to the progressives long ago.
I thank you, as well. After I read that piece from the MSM, I wanted another take on it.
Actually, I never believed the poll results. Reporting that 80% were against the decision sounded too suspicious–I just assumed that most polled were probably liberals, and the 80% number against was just the MSM trying to score points with Obama (who publicly humiliated himself by his immature behavior toward our Supreme Court justices during a State of the Union address) with a bogus poll to 'punish' the Justices who decided the case in favor of the Corporations.
At this juncture, any poll conducted by the MSM I will pretty much dismiss as unreliable, anyway.
It's like how I keep hearing the lefties insist that the polls say a majority of the public supports free universal health care. Of course support disappears if the question is, do you support paying higher taxes to fund free universal health care. It's all in how the question is asked.
It was a decision on free speech. Honestly I can't believe they ruled the way they did! Thank God!
OOOPS! Can I say God on here?
Neither party favors civil liberties or the bill of rights. The democrats champion civil liberties like the republicans champion gun rights. Record indicates that both of those positions are false.
This is your gun rights in America LOL
National Guard Confiscating Guns in New Orleans (more soldiers just doing as instructed SIR YES SIR)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm5PC7z79-8
Where is Dhasselhoff and his ilk? I've been reading this site for months and just signed up so I could debate him.
Elections have consequences!! If anyone did not know that before, they know it now. For this reason it is IMPERATIVE that people like JOHN McCain DO NOT GET RE-ELECTED. When the republicans had majority and were threatening to use the nuclear option, it was this ignorant a$$hole McCain and his 'gang of eight' that kept more conservative judges from being appointed.
Like the border fence issue and many others that he was on the wrong side of, the fact that he says he 'gets it' now is only proof that he is an idiot. He should have gotten it before the people had to get in his face with it. Anyone who so completely lacks insight and is so out of touch with his constituents, and has been a part of the problem for THREE DECADES needs to go!!! I am no big fan of JD Hayworth but he will be getting my vote over this old a$$hole, heroism in war, not withstanding!!!
John McCain, take your hot wife and your over induldged daughter and FADE AWAY!!!!
Whether you like the results of the poll or not, the question was valid. Let's wait a couple of years and let Americans watch while corporations flood the political process with campaign money and take another poll. Then maybe we will get some action to reel in the corporate takeover of our two party system.
This decision by the supreme court will be the worst thing that happens for the cash = speech crowd.
Never fear they will be here! He is probably sleeping in after going to one of his anti-semetic rallies / raves last night.
Not only is the polling question accurate, but nothing in this article disproves it anyway. Talking about the specifics of the case that brought up these issues doesn't mean that the decision doesn't have larger ramifications.
The only body that can censor is the govt.
Yes, yes, the Brady Bill was a proud example of Bipartisan progressive, let's reduce the crime.
Yes, yes, the Patriot Act was a proud example of bipartisan progressive, let's protect the people, by gum.
"Strangely, when the Democrats are on the losing side of the poll, they are drawn to Republicanism quicker than an accused felon finds religion."
Too funny Tim. Too funny. Thx for the fat pitch.
My bad. Must be johnnies shift.
Is it possible for the sheeple in the United States to be so easily swayed by 60 second commercials?
Is this why McCain got nominated, yet you can't find anyone on the right that will admit they voted for him?
Was martial law declaired at that point?
Pretty much says it all.
The real problem is our two party system in which both parties offer the same thing: progressivism. The fact that corporations can weigh in on the political process does not bother me – let them. We already have these creepy politicians spending their entire career building campaign "war chests" worth millions of dollars, so the message is being controlled as it is.
If you would like to change what's happening in DC, a good start for us would be to VOTE THEM OUT. VOTE THEM ALL OUT. Let's start over!
I would rather fight up hill to get the right person elected than have my rights censored in any fashion. Doing something like this in order to 'protect' the 'stupid' or uneducated of America is wrong. There have always been companies willing to give money for one political reason or another. The difference now is that the people that we allow to be elected are not all honest hard working people that are in touch with the everyday man. Most of them are rich people who haven't really had to live on an honest hard working wage. You want less corruption and such then you need to take a personal interest in where you put your vote and research before you cast it!
Clearly, the founding fathers did not consider the "larger ramifications."
No, martial law was not declared, but you bring up a good point, because martial law is one more way the government can use to basically say ya know what, you really don't have any rights.
This "leveled the playing field " argument is so ridiculous. As if unions had anywhere near the financial clout of corporations.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or 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.
I don't understand how anything so simple could be surrounded by so much confusion.
'The US Constitution is four pages long and has 4,543 words and this includes the signatures. It has the distinction of being not only one of the shortest worldwide, but also the oldest.'
This little document, written by our founding fathers, has preoven to be one hell of a radmap for a country to follow.
Simply put, this Republic has been around almost 235 years, for comparison, since the founding of America, no other 'government' on the planet has lasted over twenty five percent of the life of ours without rebooting in some form or another.
I think that should tell us something…
McCain, Feingold, Obama, don't fu-k with my constitution…
You're kidding right? Please tell me you are kidding – unions are not only loaded with cash, they unfortunately have so much political clout it's a disease.
The Press is owned by the Progressives…
Well a whole class of non producing lawyers and judges has been developed to provide interpretation of said document, and liken to the bible, you have the Catholic interpretation, and you have the Jehova's Witness interpretation.
Mc Cain, me-boy; Retire early and enjoy the Depression….
Well, i would question the voters that belong to the union more than I would question the Union.
The union exists in part because of "we the people". I would also question companies that have stuck with the unions. Classic example of Toyota saying no while GM said yes to unions.
You can misdirect some of the tension to the Unions, but ultimately there exists a lot of people that are pro union.
I know what yer sayin'….A Corporation is a Political Entity Licensed to do business. Sure, there is a lot more to add to the definition. The GE Corp is obviously political. Is the idea of a corporation an American idea that we created, or is it an idea that we "inherited" from Roman Democracy & Law?
"Despite popular opinion, America was never intended to be a Democracy. In the immortal words of James Madison: “…democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.” (Federalist #10)"
—
So why did we want to spread democracy overseas again?
I don't even watch them anymore. There polls and their opinions are no longer considered by me.
He's doing another re-read of "Rules for Radicals".
Wrong America is a Republic…
Is that right Maj. Stock…?
Mike, I think you spent to much time at altitude with out oxygen…?
Ahh, master of irony. Too funny. Sitting there with your list of talking points you have the audacity to call everyone else "sheeple". The very definition of 'tool'.
You could learn a thing or two about respectable lib-ery from Mika.
Term limits wouldn't hurt either.
McCain was the healthiest of a group of lame horses to get into that race and cross the finish line.
I voted for McCain fearing the disaster we currently have as a president, not because I felt he was the best candidate.
By the time the primaries made it to Texas it was a fait accompli.
Whoa….rethink that, the unions pour MILLIONS into races coast to coast.
Corporations split almost 50/50 in their financial backing. Look it up.
Let's make the further assumption that the Times or WaPo KNOWS where to go to get the polling results it needs.
If it canvasses the coasts it'll get the numbers it needs.
If it contacts the Heartland "those rubes will screw it up".
The reassertion of "the Great Unwashed" into the political process by citizens riled up by the implementation of Euro-style Nanny-statism is an irritant to the elites and "ruling political and media class".
The TEA Party is a DIRECT REACTION and REPUDIATION of ACORN, SEIU, Obamatronian oppression.
If it were up to me, no one would get to make campaign contributions with other people's money… not corporations, not unions, not churches… If you want to raise money for a campaign, you have to go and ask people for their own money. But I also think there should be no limit on how much you can give your favorite guy. If you want to give him $10 million, as long as it's your money and you are an American it should be legal. The only requirement would be the candidate must list the source of every dime he takes in and spends. And no "soft money".
I think that FDR did either censor or else control the media.
Wouldn't GE finance the campaign of a RINO?
Nope… the B-1 generates its own 100% breathing O2. Kept us well oxygenated.
Your flash back to new Orleans and coinfiscation is late but obviously accurate. Some on this blog like to hail Lincoln as a "God Like Hero" you know he read the Bible and used quotes from it, but he still ignored the constitution and suspended Habeas Corpus rights. Where in the Constitution does it say we ever lose our God given rights? I can't faiult you as others haver in the ratings you speak the truth whether anyone wants to hear it is another issue.
McCain was leading by five points in September of 08, then by sheer coincidence we had the market collapse.
MAY DAY!!!! MAY DAY!!!
What is this troll day?
The poll says 80% against…..
Thanks to OBama's presidential rhetoric… just mention the term CORPORATIONS, and….
80% of people polled will automatically be against it……..
I was in a union and you have ZERO choice about anything. The "leadership" calls the shots.
The money get DEDUCTED and you work.
I quicky decided that I didn't like that, but held on for awhile putting up the Unions brand of totalitarian dictatorship.
GENTLEMEN AND GENTLEWOMEN, I challenge you to read about the first 30 years of the 1900's by downloading a Book written by Garet Garret in the mid 1950's about how we got here. If, as Glen Beck frequently exclaims, "This will make blood shoot out of your eyes", does not inform you more than your are now, does not make you have that blood thingy happen, nothing written today will. Here is the link to the pdf version of 1 of 11 books written by this man. Let me know what you think after you read the first of three parts. It is worth the time I promise. http://mises.org/books/historynot.pdf
Is that really you mikatollah? My god, you and I are close to agreeing on something. Though I agree with your wish, unfortunately in the world in which we live ideals are almost never reality. If we could get them to adhere to one simple and transparent requirement "sourcing every dime" that kind of transparency would give the electorate or at least the few who are actually informed rather than mesmerized, to know th truth.
"So why did we want to spread democracy overseas again? "
So other people can enjoy the freedom to democratically create a republic like we did.
We're a-holes like that.
I voted for McCain as the lesser of two bad choices, and mostly because he had made an unconciously good decision picking Palin. Prior to that I was going to either NOT vote or hold my nose when I did. Felt the same way when the GOP put Dole up! GOP is a big part of our problem, sick of the pastels,,,we need bold colors and principled candidates who regardless of left or right, say what they mean and mean what they say.
Let "We the people decide" which we want.
Thanks for the post,I'll check it out,,,
I beleive they are part of the Axelrod-Carrville / Cloward-Piven / Alinski strategy they said they were working on. They probably get paid by the character!!
Lies, damned lies and statistics!
Guess Carville had alot of time on his hands to get his little minions up and running – this is going to get very interesting – sad thing for Carville et al, they are so sadly mistaken to believe any of us is going to be discouraged over this tactic.
Whether corporations flood the political process or not, people still have to make their own choice on who to vote for. The campaign money doesn't tell pull the lever. Furthermore, if the government says that corporations or even just rich individuals cannot voice their opinion on the political process, that's a violation of freedom of speech, plain and simple.
Great article, but the problem is that most people today under 40 years old that were born here have not idea about the history of our Republic! Not to mention besides all these educated progressive idiots we have, how many immigrants have any idea what freedom and liberty actually mean! We are always looking for the coming of the "evil empire" when all we have to do is look in the mirror! How tragic!
People still have to make their own choice on who to vote for. Campaign money doesn't tell pull the lever. Furthermore, if the government says that corporations or even just rich individuals cannot voice their opinion on the political process, that's a violation of freedom of speech, plain and simple.
No I'm not kidding. In financial terms , unions are not even in the same universe as large corporations that earn billions and billions of dollars.
Good on that, LOL
Someone who is pro-union is pro-thievery, pro-incompetence, and pro-gang.
No they wouldn't, not one bit!
Re: your question, I have been a big fan of the Duke basketball program for 25+ years.
Oh I get it. I've been censored – how great. Just like the article – wow!
The constitution gives citizens the righ to bear arms. That right has been trampled on more than once. We must be vigilent to keep the rights that the Constitution gives us. There are not guarantees in the rights business. There are always those in power that care a lot more about power than they do our rights.
So I guess it's goodbye America. I do not use bad language or call others names but the folks who monitor this post must think my ideas are too well – something – since there is never an explanation. So good luck to all you folks out there in America. I'll be saying goodbye, now.
Corporations have had trememdous power over the political process. Follow GE and NBC, there is a corporation trying to control the minds of the American people to make millions. I welcome all corporations into the mix, it has been terribly one-sided for too long. The left has convinced a lot of Americans that corporations are evil. I hate crony captialism as much as anyone, but corporations are not the big problem, corrupt politicians are. I embrace the free enterprise system, it has created the richest nation in the world. It also has led to the freest people ever. Why do so many people want to immigrate here, because we truly are the land of opportunity. We see that slipping away, but we can get it back.
I believe the 80% number because the decision has been mischaracterized as allow unlimited campaign contributions by corporations especially foreign corporations. This included a colleague who was in the 80% number until I explained what the decision was about and then he became livid and switched positions.
The First Amendment states in part: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievences.
All our Supreme Court was trying to explain is what the word "no" meant. Can you imagine that anyone could be so stupid as not to know the meaning of the word no, much less disagree with its meaning?
I understand that if you want to be an ironworker anywhere remotely close to Chicago, you will indeed have to part of the Union, maybe similar to what you are saying.
My point is that the Big three could have went the way of Toyota but they didn't. Caterpillar is an example of a company that has had enough with unions and is willing to relocate to the non union south.
Also, many people are pro union and believe in it bigtime.
GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT ALLOW SPECIAL FAVORS FOR UNIONS AND UNION MEMBERS
I've had that happen to me quite a few times. Did you get the message that says something about being 'approved by site admins first'? I prefer losing everything I just wrote that way over having the post removed by admins after the fact. Yeah, censorship sucks… especially when the 'banned non-PC' words we use are less offensive than what is allowed.
I ageree, "Right to Work" should be a 50 state law, not a 21 state law. Conversely, if people want to unionize (fairly, not by coersion) that's fine with me. As you said, no special favors – but thank a pol for that – follow that $$$$.
The problem is that unions own politicians in strong traditional union states like Michigan and Michigan is a nearly FAILED state, like California.
I think the Big Three should accept the many errors they have made and perhaps all three are not destine to survive, ala Nash and Kaiser and Auburn/Cord/Duesenburgh.
This should help you: A Politico Article Written By Sen. Orin Hatch, 02/03/2010 to quote: "Obama was also flat wrong to say that the Citizens United decision opened the floodgates for foreign corporations to “spend without limit” and literally to bankroll American elections. The case was brought by an American, not a foreign, corporation. The court only once cited the statute banning election-related contributions or expenditures by foreigners, and it did so precisely to emphasize that its decision had nothing whatsoever to do with that statute."
Ya, still waiting to hear from you!!
Please tell us how many corporations earn "billions and billions of dollars."
Then compare that to the total amount of money earned by union workers.
The vast majority of corporations are quite small.
Unions tell their memberships to contribute to a certain candidate or cause. At the end of the union meeting, you better have your check already filled out and turned in, unless you want to some union thugs to show up at your house.
I could easily make the same case you make and say that anybody that works for the federal, state, or local government is pro theft pro incompetence …..
My favorite is the monopoly of force granted to the police departments!
The Constitution and Amendments were written by a bunch of old white guys who were trying to keep their slaves. That's why we need someone like the Prophet Obama to fix things.
[/sarcasm]
There are indeed some natural monopolies which require governmental control, such as police and fire departments.
However, health care is NOT a natural monopoly and therefore does not require government control.
The amazing effin thing about right to work is that somehow when somebody is fired they can still sue over all kinds of BS!
It's suppose to be you can quit at anytime, or you can be fired at anytime, for anything or nothing.
Yet employers are still dodging effin lawsuits, yet one more way the government provides BARRIERS BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES and creates the unemployment rate when we all know that there is an infinite amount of work that needs to be done, not a limited amount.
The administration told SCOTUS straight up that this law gave them the power to ban books, Kindle downloads and I would have to assume talk radio and websites.
If the Obamunists keep any semblance of power in the next two elections, watch for AM talk radio to be completely censored and for Card Check to pass, forcing us all to belong to unions.
You just knew the decision had to be sound because the Obama administration was up in arms over it–God forbid that the Constitution should be upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States.
Thank you Lord for allowing us to maintain some semblance of a free Republic.
There is no doubt at all. Oh and they don't think they have to pass Card Check, they think they can force us all into their unions without a law. And yes, their FCC has already started this "localism" thing that will put leftists in charge of radio and leave liberal TV alone.
No one's questioning the polling QUESTION, liberal, but to imply that 80% of Americans disagreed with the US Supreme Court's decision to uphold freedom of speech is an insult to our intelligence–not yours maybe–but the rest of ours.
Your MSM is becoming so bold in their fictionalizing that they're becoming indistinguishable from the tabloid news.
First all once again you are wrong the question was clearly tilted, and you know it Mik, come on a little intellectual integrity won't kill you here.
But the central point of you post is I believe that corporations have no business in the political process.
Well you must be absolutely ecstatic then because GE, WESTINGHOUSE, DISNEY, and TIME-WARNER, and NEWS CORPORATION LTD. are corporations and the control; only about 98% of what this country learns about the public opinion forming news of the day.
Ancient Rome, after the kings, was a REPUBLIC………………..not a "democracy at all; prior to teh Caesarian emperorships and later dictators !
If America is to survive, we must fight the Obamunists who make up the most corrupt and dangerous Congress and Administration in history:
We must be prepared to work harder, smarter, and longer than those who seek to destroy our nation. They will not give up power easily. They know they are close to destroying the foundation of freedom we cherish so much – they smell victory.
We must work together and not let our differences divide us again otherwise these monsters will profit from our squabbling.
We owe it to future generations, not just for ourselves, lest they end up enslaved on the Thousand Year Democrat Plantation.
The question was probably "Do you believe, as the right wing nuts on the Supreme Court obviously do, that big corporations and foreign powers should be able to influence elections in the United States?
AMEN !
Souhterner, still fighting the CIVIL WATR, are ya, kwg1 ?
I know Floyd, wasn't it Justice Scalia, or Justice Kennedy who asked the questions to the Lawyers? I heard the questions posed, the answers by the slick freak lawyer was very revealing, and shocking, kind of.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Hanzo
"That's a bold statement…" -Vincent Vega
Good to have you aboard, prage2001; we need all of the troll fighters we can get, since the PTB refuse to do much, if anything about them.
Unions not only have far money than corporations, they steal that money and use it against the wishes of many of the very people whose money it was, who have no say in where their money goes.
There also a limit on how much a person or an entity can donate to a presidential candidate; however, unions and entities such as CORN have so many different arms, they get around all of the laws, all the time.
If Joe Wilson R, SC was censured for blurting out "you lie" to the Pres, I would like to know
why the Hell bozo thinks he can insult the SC Justices as he did at the SotU speech. He
should publicly apologize. Does he not understand they are his equals? Of course he won't
apologize, it was a bullying tactic. I'm sure he & Rahm worked on the delivery & structure for
weeks, to push right up to the line, each time going farther, like the spoiled man-child he is.
You can still have competition exist with police departments and fire departments, but its thought of to much like the school system monopoly so not enough people want or understand how easily it could be changed.
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