New York Times Tramples the First Amendment

http://www.futureofcapitalism.com/2010/06/new-york-times-tramples-the-first-amendment

The New York Times had an editorial Monday headlined "A Bruise on the First Amendment," bemoaning a law that makes it a crime for American to provide "material support" to terrorist groups. The headline would have been more accurately placed on the Times's editorial from this morning, which not only praises a bill that "would put restrictions on campaign spending by major government contractors and foreign controlled companies," but even criticizes the law for allowing "exceptions for the National Rifle Association and other large nonprofit groups that exercised last-minute arm-twisting."

In other words, according to the Times, if the government tries to prevent Americans from providing material support to terrorist groups, it's a First Amendment violation. But if the government tries to restrict the National Rifle Association, Toyota, BP, or Boeing from airing television commercials that include political speech, that's laudable.

by Ira Stoll  |  Jun 25, 2010 at 9:15 am Related Topics:  Campaign Finance, Press receive the latest by email: subscribe to the free futureofcapitalism.com mailing list