Minnesota Public Radio News: "If you and your neighbor spend $101 on a few lawn signs and fail to tell the government about it, are you violating the law?
In Minnesota you are. Like most other states, Minnesota makes it illegal to speak out for or against candidates and ballot issues without following a host of complex and burdensome regulations. Failure to do so can turn you into an outlaw."
Showing posts with label Freedom of speech. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freedom of speech. Show all posts
Washington Post vs. Americans for Prosperity
Washington Post on Americans for Prosperity: Think it's a coincidence that the "issue advertising" is running, and naming names, in districts of vulnerable Democratic incumbents? Consider this attack on Washington Democrat Denny Heck -- who isn't even in office -- for "putting Nancy Pelosi's agenda ahead of our needs" and being "a 30-year political insider." The $180,000 ad campaign started running the day after Mr. Heck won the Democratic primary. In a district with an open House seat in Michigan, the group is estimated to have spent almost $350,000 attacking Democratic nominee Gary McDowell.
Americans for Prosperity Letter: All of AFP's citizen-education efforts -- including our television advertising -- have been bona fide issue advocacy designed to advance our mission of promoting limited government fiscal and economic policies, lower taxes, less spending and less onerous regulation. Because we engage in no electioneering, we have done nothing after the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision that we were not already doing before.
Americans for Prosperity Letter: All of AFP's citizen-education efforts -- including our television advertising -- have been bona fide issue advocacy designed to advance our mission of promoting limited government fiscal and economic policies, lower taxes, less spending and less onerous regulation. Because we engage in no electioneering, we have done nothing after the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision that we were not already doing before.
Should Congress regulate political ad money?
Christian Science Monitor:
YES (Craig Holman, government affairs lobbyist, Public Citizen) -- Just as important, transparency provides voters with the tools necessary to weigh the merits of political messages. Full disclosure of major donors funding a campaign ad is critical information for voters in assessing the interests behind, and accuracy of, the political message.
NO (David N. Bossie, president, Citizens United) -- In regulating political speech and money in political advertising, Congress has time and time again shown a willingness to sacrifice freedom of speech in favor of overbroad legislation and regulation. It is this tendency that led to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (“BCRA”) – a law that significantly burdened the exercise of First Amendment rights.
Since its enactment, the US Supreme Court has overturned many of BCRA’s restrictions on speech, but there are still far too many laws on the books regulating political speech.
Mitt Romney -- May in Review
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June 4, 2009
As members of the Free and Strong America PAC family, we want to make sure you're up to date with Mitt Romney and PAC news, schedules, links, pictures and video, as well as ways you can help.
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*MITT's HITS* (6/1) Gov Romney's Heritage sponsored defense speech in DC, Video from Fox News Sunday interview
* MITT's HITS *
Inside updates for friends of the Gov
(Upcoming schedule, media hits and news sent to a select group. If
you'd like to be left off please reply with "unsubscribe".)
Today 6/1/09, 11:00am Washington, DC. : Romney addresses sold out
Heritage Foundation audience in a speech titled "The Care of Freedom".
Romney (on North Korea): "Arrogant, delusional tyrants can not be
stopped by earnest words and furrowed brows. Action, strong bold
action coming from a position of strength and determination, is the
only effective deterrent."
Full release and text of the speech attached.
VIDEO: Romney on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace
full transcript
Romney: "You don't want politics directing American corporations. That
whole approach, which obviously is one that Barack Obama is wedded to,
is the wrong approach for America. Americans recognize it.
Individuals, the free market system, is what has built America to the
nation we are, and that's how we ought to go forward. "
Romney Balks at Government Ownership of GM – Detroit News (5/31/09)
Paid for and authorized by Free and Strong America PAC, Inc.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
News Links 05/21/2009
George Soros, a resident of New York, failed to timely disclose a $350,000 late contribution in a late contribution report in October 2004. He also failed to timely file a semi-annual campaign statement for the reporting period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004. $8,000 fine.
SkepticsEye 2.0: Called Out by da Brennan Skolarz!
What I meant to say - and what I think I said, was that people with concerns about the quality of governance, who had been railing against earmarks, corporate influence, voter disengagement, etc. etc., might reflect on whether those reflected a problem with money or a problem with incumbency.
The Hill Blog» Blog Archive » The Incumbency Problem Has Everything to do with Money
As Court watchers eagerly await the latest decision on campaign finance in a case called Citizens United, new research from the Brennan Center indicates that the Roberts’ Court’s first campaign finance decision three years ago, Randall v. Sorrell, suffered from a key empirical flaw. In that case, the Court wrongly assumed that low contribution limits hurt challengers and entrenched incumbents.
The Associated Press: Keyes, priest arrested at Notre Dame protest
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Former Republican presidential hopeful Alan Keyes, a Roman Catholic priest and 19 others were arrested Friday after marching onto the University of Notre Dame campus to protest President Barack Obama's planned commencement speech.
How to elect the president: A national debate
Shortly after the election last November, a San Diego Union-Tribune editorial called for a national dialogue on whether the system decided by the Founding Fathers to elect the American president through an electoral college -- rather than by direct popular vote of the people -- should be retained, reformed, or abolished altogether.
California Bill Advances, Would Inform Independent Voters of their Rights
On May 14, the California Assembly Appropriations Committee passed AB 909. It had previously passed the Assembly Elections Committee. It provides that at the polls on primary election day, elections officials must inform independent voters that they are free to choose the primary ballot of any party that has agreed to let independent voters vote in its primaries.
California Releases New Registration Data
On May 15, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen released updated voter registration data for the special statewide election of May 19. Compared to the last registration tally of March 20, these parties gained a slightly larger share of the registration: Democratic, American Independent, Libertarian, and Reform. Also the percentage of independents increased. The Reform Party is not ballot-qualified in California but the state keeps track of its registration tally. Ballot-qualified parties that slipped slightly in percentage of registered voters since the last tally are Republican, Green, and Peace & Freedom.
California Will Hold 3-Party U.S. House Race on July 14
On July 14, California will fill the vacant U.S. House seat, 32nd district. The three ballot-listed candidates will be Democrat Judy Chu, Republican Betty Chu, and Libertarian Christopher Agrella.
California elected officials' pay will be cut 18% - Los Angeles Times
California, like most states, charges filing fees for candidates. The California fee is 2% of the annual salary for statewide office, and 1% for U.S. House and state legislature. On May 20, the state commission that sets salaries for partisan elected officials lowered those salaries by 18%, effective with the 2010 election. See this article. Current legislative pay for state legislators is $116,208, so the filing fee in 2008 was $1,162. However, in 2010 the salary will be $95,291, so the fee will be $952.
According to a report released by WorldNetDaily, the news site plans to erect billboards nationwide questioning the eligibility of Barack Obama for office.
Pew Research Center Releases Poll on Partisan Identification
On May 21, the Pew Research Center released this public opinion poll on political values. It is an extensive survey, in twelve sections, and used a sample of 3,013 respondents. Among many other findings, the poll shows that 39% of U.S. residents identify themselves as independents, 33% as Democrats, 22% as Republicans, and 6% no opinion or “other”.
Campaign Finance Disclosure and the Legislative Process by Scott Noveck
This Article analyzes an underappreciated and oft-overlooked method of campaign finance regulation, the use of reporting and disclosure requirements. The Article demonstrates that both sides of the campaign finance debate have failed to recognize the full range of possible disclosure schemes, and it argues that a particular set of disclosure requirements can have a much more dramatic effect on the legislative process than has previously been recognized. Moreover, I show that a carefully crafted disclosure scheme can offer an effective solution to the problem of quid pro quo corruption (i.e., political bribery) and can overcome the serious constitutional concerns about retaliation that have been raised both by the Supreme Court and by several scholars.
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
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