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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
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Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Nov. 2, 2005
/ 30 Tishrei, 5766
The pols shouldn't tell the people to shut up
By
John Stossel
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
"I got elected. You may not criticize me."
OK, the incumbents don't put it that way. They say: "There's too
much money in politics! We need campaign finance reform."
And they get it. "Reform" sounds good. McCain-Feingold and a
host of state laws would protect us from the evil influence of big money.
But that's nonsense. When our behemoth government has the power
to spend more than $2 trillion every year, big money will find a way to try
to influence it. It's the little guys, who aren't in office, who are
silenced by "reform."
McCain-Feingold makes it illegal for individual to buy an ad
that names a candidate within 60 days of an election. "'Reformers' want
elections to be the private preserve of the political class," snorted Ed
Crane of the Cato Institute. He's right. And they're succeeding. They've
gamed the system so nearly every incumbent is reelected.
Only an unusually well-funded candidate can challenge the
establishment. In 1968, Eugene McCarthy drove Lyndon Johnson from office
with the help of funds from rich liberals like Steward Mott. Today,
McCarthy's campaign would be illegal.
Campaign finance reform or, rather, establishment politicians'
protection acts, has eliminated such challengers. Various laws prohibit
those of us who aren't running for office from buying ads before an election
to criticize those who are. The Sierra Club can no longer call a politician
a polluter. In Wisconsin, an anti-abortion group could run ads mentioning
Sen. Herb Kohl, but not Sen. Russ Feingold, because Feingold was up for
election. Too bad ads about Feingold and others running for office might
actually hold them responsible. A federal judge has ordered the Federal
Election Commission (FEC) to regulate the Internet, which FEC chairman
Bradley Smith warned might even lead to regulating blogs that link to
candidates' websites. "Political activity is more heavily regulated than at
any time in our nation's history," Smith told the president in his letter of
resignation.
Outsiders must shut up. The latest scam is playing out now in
Washington state.
To squeeze more money from voters, Washington's legislature
passed a 9.5-cent-per-gallon gas tax increase. To their annoyance,
Washington law permits another lawmaking process: Citizens can petition to
put an initiative on the ballot, which the public can then vote to pass.
Some citizens, thinking they were already paying plenty, organized a
movement to repeal the tax increase. Two local radio hosts, Kirby Wilbur and
John Carlson, spent lots of time on the air explaining why they think the
gas tax is a bad idea.
The nerve!
In response to this challenge to their authority, a group of
politicians turned to campaign-finance laws to silence Wilbur and Carlson.
The theory is this: Radio airtime is valuable. So if a radio host expresses
strong political views, that's a contribution, just as if a caterer were
providing free food to the campaign's volunteers. Washington law limits
contributions in the final three weeks of a political campaign to $5,000, so
Wilbur and Carlson must shut up. Or at least the anti-tax group must count
the minutes they talked about it on the air, assign some price to that and
report that under campaign finance limits. Or something Mike Vaska, the
lawyer acting as prosecutor, has suggested that if Wilbur and Carlson
distanced themselves enough from the other people on their side, they'd be
allowed to speak freely on the radio. Ironically, Vaska just happens to be a
member of a big private law firm that stands to make big money off a higher
gas tax maybe millions in legal fees $25,000 per bond backed by the
tax. For some reason, Washington legislators seem to think that's OK. No
one's telling him to shut up.
The political class protects its own.
Spending and speech limits are anti-democratic. Gene McCarthy
said it well when he pointed out that the Founders pledged their "lives,
fortunes and sacred honor" to win the Revolution. They didn't say, "lives
and fortunes up to $1,000."
We need more money, not less, spent on politics. What's spent on
campaigns now is less than is spent advertising potato chips. Let the
outsiders speak.
The politicians should not tell the people to shut up.
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