(NH)Union Leader: Restricting speech: Will the First Amendment Hold Up?

[NewHampshireDem]

Wow ... the ultra-conservative Union (mis-)Leader slams * big time for his anti-527 rhetoric.

PRESIDENT BUSH yesterday announced his intention to restrict the free speech rights of American citizens by picking up where Congress, led by Sen. John McCain and Sen. Russ Feingold, left off two years ago. Sen. John Kerry followed up by, of all things, attacking the President for being too reluctant in violating Americans’ First Amendment rights.

In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott on March 15, 2001, President Bush wrote that his first principle in considering campaign finance reform was: “Protect Rights of Individuals to Participate in Democracy: President Bush believes democracy is first and foremost about the rights of individuals to express their views. He supports strengthening the role of individuals in the political process by. . . protecting the rights of citizen groups to engage in issue advocacy.”

Yesterday he violated that principle. White House spokesman Scott McClellan announced that President Bush was calling for the courts to silence a subset of citizens groups, called “527s” after the section of the IRS code that governs them.

The President wants “to shut down all of this activity by these shadowy groups,” McClellan said.

These are not “shadowy groups.” They are organizations of committed citizens trying to influence the outcome of the election. We once called people like that “good citizens.” Now they are “shadowy groups.”

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http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=42930

It's good to see that some conservatives still stand on principle, rather than merely parroting *'s innane policies.

[Spinzonner]

1. having successfully carpet-bombed the media

with his own stealth-527, he figures its time to shut down the opposition.

Just another day of GOP hyprocrasy.

[bvar22]

2. ANOTHER bush* flip/flop?

No wonder the guy is dizzy.