In an attempt to stop the 'dirty tricks' campaign that partly has been run by groups outside of the election camp(s), Dictator Dubya now want to stop them using legal means. Though, legal? Free speech is one of the pillars of a free country and that a president tries to challenge this, is incredible.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/26/campaigns.527s/index.html

This campaign is a dirty one, and I'm not too happy about it. But it's a long way from being unhappy with an ad campaign to gagging free speach.

Sorry, but I must include this:

Wait a minute. Isn't this the exact thing Kerry and media daring McLame have been demanding for two weeks now? All of a sudden it is wrong when Bush does it but when Kerry and McPain call for it, Bush is trashed for not backing it up.

As an article a month or so ago said, Bush cannot win for losing when it comes to the liberal way of thinking.

As an example:

- If he loses the election, it is a rebuke of his politics and policies.

- If he wins the election, he stole it.

What Kerry have been demanding, is that the Sviftboat Veterans Against Kerry retracts their ads - and that their position as a 527 group is unacceptable due to the closer & closer ties between the GOP and the particular group.

All that Kerry has ever been doing, is telling the truth on Dubya. And he even distanced himself from MoveOn's Hitler ad (which was a user-created one that was entered into a competition along with numerous others).

The article mentions Kerry's remarks today responding to GOP playbook statements about "flip-flopping." Here's what he said:

"Is opposing the Homeland Security Department and then suddenly embracing it when the newspapers write something -- is that flip-flopping?" Kerry asked, referring to Bush's initial position on the department.

"Is telling us [national security adviser] Condoleezza Rice [before the 9/11 panel] is not going to testify and then she does testify -- is that a flip-flop?

"Is telling you you're going to fund No Child Left Behind, then stripping it of $27 million, is that a flip-flop?

"Let's get real here," Kerry said.

I wish he'd favor 36-45 year old males using correct spelling in their topic.

LOL Brick!  

I was thinking it...

It's a riot to see everyone in a tizzy about what is ultimately an unconstitutional campaign finance reform bill.

The arrows are thrown in every direction except where they need to be thrown.

"I wish he'd favor 36-45 year old males using correct spelling in their topic."

Amen to that! Anyone who can't spell cencorship (sic) needs to have their speach (sic) censored.

Dictator Dubya now want to stop them using legal means

Um, he only made that statement because Kerry and the entire Democratic Party have been screaming for Bush to "denounce" the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and conservative 527s while giving MoveOn.org and liberal groups a pass. Bush's solution was elegant in that it shut up the Kerry camp but avoided endorsing or condemning the SVFT ads.

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Not only does Kerry want the Swift Vet ads pulled off the air and the group shut down, his campaign even sent letters to publishers trying to stop Unfit for Command from being printed and distributed. That's much closer to censorship than what the Bush campaign has stated.

Cooperation between the Bush campaign and the Swift Vets is no greater than that between the Kerry campaign and liberal 527s like MoveOn.org and America Coming Together. There has been considerable overlap between these groups, the DNC, and Kerry's staff (link). The fact that a wealthy Texas Republican donated to SVFT is no more remarkable than George Soros pouring money into MoveOn.org as well as Kerry's campaign.


Under the ill-considered (and IMHO unconstitutional) McCain-Feingold Act as well as the First Amendment, 527s are legitimate political groups with the right to free speech. The ban on the major parties' use of "soft money" has simply diverted funds from the national party committees to unaccountable and at least nominally unaffiliated fringe groups. Opponents of McCain-Feingold predicted this would happen years ago. In this respect, 527s are a negative development and should be statutorily eliminated by repealing McCain-Feingold.

Nevertheless, whatever the inherent flaws of 527s, political campaigns don't get to shut down opposing groups because they don't like getting pulled through the mud. Neither John Kerry, George Bush, nor John McCain has any standing to demand 527s to stop.

--B2707SST

[Edited 2004-08-27 00:43:58]

Unbelievable.

No matter what Bush does, he can never win with these types.... which is why he NEVER should have condemned the ads/527s in any way, form, or fashion!

I don't see where this is the president favoring "Censorship" here. He wants to get rid of the 527's, and, from his perspective, I would, too, since a majority of them have been attacking Bush, not Kerry.

But he's not pure as the driven snow in his want to get rid of those, and even his most ardent supporters have to acknowledge that. He wants to get rid of them, because most are negative against him, and it would take a bite out of those groups who oppose Bush.

What is needed is one thing: public financing of the elections. Get the special interest money out of the campaign, on both sides, and you wouldn't see such crap as is happening today.