Free Speech
Q: Why do newspapers oppose the rights of grassroots non-profit issue organizations, as well as corporations, to speak on policy issues?
A: The simple answer: The press and their usually left-wing editors want to be the only ones legally permitted to speak about politics. Newspapers like the Billings Gazette, Bozeman Chronicle, Great Falls Tribune, etc., have a profit motive like any corporation. If “Copper Kings” means those who have unfettered influence over politics in Montana, Newspaper editors and officials in Helena are the “New Copper Kings”. According to Gary Marbut of Montana Shooting Sports Association,
“The newspaper corporations owned by the Copper Kings were inherited by the Anaconda Company, and then eventually sold to Lee Enterprises, which still owns most of the daily papers in Montana. It is fair to say that the last intact, residual political influence of Copper Kings that exists in Montana today is Lee Enterprises.”
Q: Isn’t Steve Bullock simply protecting Montanans from special interests and out-of-state corporate influence?
A: Steve Bullock’s own campaign warchests have been stuffed full of out-of-state and corporate PAC money (including illegal over-the-limit contributions – see the SIX charges pending against Bullock at the Commissioner of Political Practices website), and he has received massive contributions from trial lawyers – some of whom have contracts with the State.
Q: Steve Bullock says he is in favor of an open and honest political dialogue, and a serious discussion of the issues. Isn’t that the case?
A: We wish that were true. Steve Bullock has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer resources (as well as hundreds of hours of attorney-billable time through the Office of Attorney General) to prevent voters from hearing different opinions and perspectives. Bullock thinks voters are not intelligent enough to know lies from truth. The fact is, Barack Obama and Steve Bullock know that if private individuals and private sector companies are silenced, the only voices heard will be big-government insiders and incumbents, and the liberal mainstream press.
Q: What about anonymous communications? Shouldn’t we know who’s paying for political ads?
A: This nation was founded by a group of families who were escaping persecution under an unaccountable government official (the King of England, George III). In order to be able to communicate their ideas to the colonists – many of whom were uneducated but, like Americans today, understand the principles of freedom when they are explained – the Founders needed anonymity to prevent being unjustly jailed and their speech suppressed. It’s the same today.The Federalist Papers, considered the definitive work on our democratic republican form of government, was published under the name “Publius” – to protect the identities of the authors.
If Steve Bullock, and the corrupt Commissioner of Political Practices, have the power to criminally prosecute for speech they simply disagree with, citizens must resort to publishing their ideas anonymously. Remember, government officials work for the citizens, not the other way around – therefore, transparency is for government, while our Constitution gua\rantees the right of privacy (as well as wide latitude under the 1st Amendment) to private citizens and their affairs (including their businesses).
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