Dana Mathewson

Let's do everything in our power to prevent Chuckie Schumer from becoming Senate Majority Leader! Why? Well, because

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D.-N.Y., has determined there is too much political speech in the United States coming from sources he cannot tolerate. So, he stood in front of the Supreme Court on Tuesday, along with Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D.-Ill., to announce he is backing Democratic New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall's proposal to amend the First Amendment.

The First Amendment — as it now stands — includes 10 unambiguous words about freedom of speech.

"Congress," it says, "shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech."

Schumer and Udall do not like this sweeping restraint on government power. There are speakers whose speech they want to abridge. The Bill of Rights — as correctly interpreted by the Supreme Court — stands in their way. So, they are seeking to change it.

Specifically, in 2010, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 in Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission that Americans enjoy the freedom of speech not only when they act as individuals but also when they form corporations.

In other words, a movie-making company has the same right to free speech as its owners individually do.

The same can be said for a book publishing company — or a company that manufactures lawnmowers or fishing rods.

In the United States, they all enjoy a freedom of speech that Congress "shall make no law" that abridges it.

For Schumer, this principle, which the court upheld in Citizens United, is gravely wrong.

"Few decisions in the 200 and some odd years of this republic have threatened our democracy like Citizens United," Schumer said on Tuesday.

"If I get to be majority leader with the help of my colleagues here and all of you, Citizens United will go. It must," he said.

"Overturning Citizens United," Schumer said, "is probably more important than any other single thing we could do to preserve this great and grand democracy."

It was not Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, Sam Alito or even John Roberts who wrote the court's opinion in Citizens United. It was Anthony Kennedy.

"The court has recognized that First Amendment protection extends to corporations," Kennedy wrote.

"If the First Amendment has any force, it prohibits Congress from fining or jailing citizens, or associations of citizens, for simply engaging in political speech," he said.

Elections have consequences. I believe that no matter how hard Schumer may try to get the First Amendment changed, he will not succeed. But in today's political climate, you never know. At any rate, this article is Required Reading! https://townhall.com/columnists/terryjeffrey/2019/08/01/schumer-calls-for-amending-first-amendment-to-limit-political-speech-n2550952

Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at August 02, 2019 06:54 AM (iBt4g)

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