Scott Tibbs
blog post
September 2nd, 2004

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President Bush tests the patience of free speech advocates

George Will delivers yet another excellent column on free speech, this time directed at President George W. Bush.

The cynical attacks on "527" groups (so named because of the section of IRS code they operate under) is typical political arrogance. Are citizens daring to speak against their government? Are they daring to criticize political candidates? Silence them and send them back into the fields like good peasants. The Ruling Class has no time for such distractions.

President Bush should be ashamed of himself, both for signing the atrocity known as McCain-Feingold and for suggesting it be expanded to further limit political speech. As Will notes, Bush signed the bill in a gamble that the most egregious parts of it (like the limitations on the content of political speech in "issue advertisements) would be declared unconstitutional. Not only did Bush lose, but the American people (not to mention the unique American system of government founded on limitation of governmental power) lost as well.

We are in a war with Islamist radicals who are willing to sacrifice their own lives to murder scores of innocent civilians, as they did on September 11th, 2001. One of the reasons we are hated by the Islamists (who believe in a theocratic government based on a strict interpretation of the Koran) is because of the freedom we enjoy. Limitations on fundamental Constitutional liberties are a white flag in the War on Terror. Furthermore, it is a slap in the face to the brave soldiers who have spilled their blood to defend freedom against those who would destroy it.

My confidence in President Bush has increased with his moves on stem-cell research, cloning, abortion and homosexual marriage. Unfortunately, the President seems determined to send advocates of free speech like myself running to either the Libertarian Party or the Constitution Party when it comes time to vote on November 2.