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BUSH�S ASSAULT ON FREE SPEECH Why is �compassionate conservatism� so hostile to the free speech component of the First Amendment? Most real conservatives are for a smaller, less intrusive government which cherishes the right of average citizens to participate in electoral politics. Free speech is a principle to be defended...even when the speech is ugly. McCain/Feingold was and is a constitutional abomination. Shame on the Republican Congress which passed it. And even more shame on President Bush for signing it, despite his oath to defend the Constitution. And double-shame on the Supreme Court which upheld it. Apparently all three branches of our government believe political free speech should only apply to the elected and appointed elites in government, not to working slobs like you and me. With the major parties locked in a straight-jacket as far as accepting �soft� money contributions are concerned this year thanks to McCain/Feingold, that money began flowing into independent �527� organizations...just as everyone and their uncle who followed this issue knew it would. So the president (foolishly) tried to put a stop to these citizen groups and prevent them from participating in the 2004 election. The FEC said �no.� The left raised a ton of cash and launched its political attacks on President Bush. Reluctantly, supporters of the president finally joined the Battle of the 527s. Here�s the ironic part. All those liberal 527s, such as Moveon.org and the Media Fund, with their millions of dollars from fat-cat donors such as George Soros, were pretty much ineffective. Then all of a sudden, a group of Vietnam War veterans raised a few measly hundred thousand and started airing an ad calling into question John Kerry�s version of John Kerry�s Vietnam experiences. (You DID know Kerry served in Vietnam, didn�t you?) Anyway, those swift boat veteran ads were extremely effective. The Kerryites squealed like stuck pigs. So what�s the president do this week when Kerry demanded that Bush condemn the ads? Does he say, �Hey, this is a free country and these men are free to speak their minds. In fact, these guys EARNED that right on the battlefield.�? No. He tells these Vietnam veterans to shut up. He said the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth are �bad for the system� and condemned their ads. Said they have no place in the race for the White House. BAD for the system. War veterans. Nice, huh? Can true conservatism stand four more years of this kind of �compassionate conservatism�? Can our constitutional republic? Free speech...even for newsletters such as this one? Inquiring minds continue to have serious doubts. The only thing which seems to be saving the president in this race is that his opponent is so much worse, especially in this post-9/11 world. No wonder so many people are threatening to just sit this one out. How depressing. Where�s Barry Goldwater when you need him? THE GOLDWATER DOCTRINE �I have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them. It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the Constitution, or that have failed in their purpose, or that impose on the people an unwarranted financial burden. I will not attempt to discover whether legislation is 'needed' before I have first determined whether it is constitutionally permissible. And if I should later be attacked for neglecting my constituents' interests, I shall reply that I was informed their main interest is liberty and that in that cause I am doing the very best I can.� - Barry Goldwater, �The Conscience of a Conservative� ************************* Published by Citizen Outreach Chuck Muth Editor/Publisher 611 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, #439 Washington, DC 20003-4303 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Citizen Outreach is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public policy organization and does not endorse candidates or lobby for specific legislation. The opinions and views expressed in DC Confidential reflect those of the writers, editors and columnists therein and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Citizen Outreach, its officers, directors or employees.
