The Almighty US Government

[Cinjin]

I don't see what the big deal is Heywood. You scream free-speech free-speech like a butthurt hippy when it has absolutely nothing to do with DP's proposal.

I'll explain as you seem to be a little thick on the matter.

Is Marlboro being denied free-speech because they are not allowed to advertise on television? No
Is Warner Brothers denied free-speech because they are only allowed to advertise General Audience Previews on television? No
Are pornographers denied free-speech because they aren't allowed to post their product in public arenas? No
Are politicians denied free-speech because they are not allowed to spend money on campaign elections? Fuck no.

You've created this BULL SHIT coupling of campaign funds with free-speech. The two are mutually exclusive.

It's fucking simple really. Pay attention. I can draw the lines for you and no one loses free-speech.

In the interest of gaining transparency in government, fairness in the voting process, and with the intent to quell corruption:
1. Candidates would not be able to receive funds from any source other than the American Tax Payer (NO PRIVATE DONATIONS)
---This would also limit the ridiculous amount of spending that goes on.
2. Each Candidate would be allowed one website that is funded by the Tax Payer (NO PRIVATE DONATIONS)
3. Candidates would be allowed to voice their issues openly in weekly TV debates. (NO ADVERTISING)
4. No Private Party is ever allowed to create TV or Radio advertising in support of a candidate DURING an election. (BEFORE AND AFTER IS FINE)
5. Candidates would be allowed to advertise on any of their own transportation vehicles. (Buses and planes, etc)

It's that simple. Draw the lines and the rules for an election and then enforce them. Now since you're painfully belligerent and utterly naive on this issue, allow me to explain why this would be a significant help to our corrupt system:

1. With weekly debates, the candidates are always on equal footing and no one has the unfair advantage of private dollars funding dirty political advertising. Most importantly for you, both politicians maintain their free speech as they can freely express themselves on national TV.
2. It takes a minimal amount of funds to design and build a website. All candidates can would have X amount of dollars allocated to them to do that. Allowing them their free-speech that you so desperately want us to believe they aren't getting.
3. With private parties unable to make even the tiniest donation to a political party/candidate, the American people would have a chance at finding a politician that actually wants to help us rather than help himself. This would also keep the elected candidate from returning favors to the billionaires that couldn't give two shits about raping America and destroying the environment and/or the economy.
4. Candidates could feel free to create print adds with their own money. Again, no donations are ever allowed.

We do it to Marlboro, Camel, Warner Brothers, pornographers and the like. We could easily put rules on our political candidates that would insure fairness in publicly held elections. This business of you whining and bitching about free-speech is complete and utter bull shit. They would lose NONE!