Comments on: A Serious Discussion of Whether the People Running Stephen Colbert’s Network Have Any First Amendment Rights

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 19:15:26 +0000

McCain-Feingold should be enough to disqualify McCain from the presidency.

Should be???

By: allan

allan — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:12:03 +0000

I believe much of this territory has already been covered. Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it...

By: Techie

Techie — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:00:55 +0000

Silly, the First Amendment only applies to Pornographers, Nazis, NAMBLA, and MoveOn.org. Didn’t you get the memo?

By: narciso

narciso — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:12:20 +0000

Actually a good chunk of the First Amendment went away with the passage of the Federal Communications Act of 1934; which only applied to the airwaves, but as they say once the Camel’s tent. . .McCain/Feingold poked the Camel’s tail from the other direction. That’s why this downplaying of the prospects of the Fairness Doctrine is kind of amusing if ti wasn’t naive.

By: Attila (Pillage Idiot)

Attila (Pillage Idiot) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 13:48:25 +0000

When I was in law school, we used to talk about “core political speech.” Ha!

The First Amendment is now about “core p*rn*graphic speech.” Political speech isn’t covered any more, at least not in campaigns, because you might create the appearance of corruption.

So, no, the First Amendment wasn’t repealed; it was reinvented.

By: LarryD

LarryD — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 13:12:05 +0000

I dream of the jury returning a verdict holding the BCRA unconstitutional, and rebuking SCOTUS for holding otherwise. Oh, and rebuking Congress for passing it, and the President for signing it. And maybe fining the FEC for enforcing an unconstitutional law.

By: PatHMV

PatHMV — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 07:32:17 +0000

An investigation by the FEC (and, hopefully, charges being filed) would be the greatest service Colbert could offer in this race. It might finally convince the campaign finance “reform” crowd just how ludicrous the very concept is, what an affront their laws are to our basic right of free speech.

You’d think, with one Hsu scandal after another, from candidates of both parties, that these people would start to realize that these laws just don’t work, and greatly infringe on our rights.

So, I hope that the FEC goes after Colbert, so maybe we’ll get some real reform for a change, and get a few of our rights back.

By: JVW

JVW — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 05:18:34 +0000

What is a “certified journalist” ?

You have to wear a fedora with a card in it that says “Press.” Also, you have to vote Democrat 98% of the time but still claim to be an objective reporter of political news.

By: JD

JD — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 04:40:44 +0000

What is a “certified journalist” ?

Thanks, Patterico.

By: Another Drew

Another Drew — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 04:32:31 +0000

What First Amendment?
Are you a certified journalist?
No?
Well then, you don’t qualify for any First Amendment privileges – just ask John McCain or Russ Feingold.