The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

[BassAle]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

To the extent the government both owns the cemeteries and cemeteries not being traditional places of public expression (like say, a state capitol), it has the right to express its own speech or limit the expression of contrary speech.

This was the issue in the license plate case that came up a year or two ago before SCOTUS. The Court found that license plates were the government's speech, not the driver's, and the state could limit, our allow, pretty much whatever it deemed appropriate.

In Maine they recently decided long time restrictions on vanity license plates were limiting people's free speech rights, so now lots of things that were previously banned from license plates are now allowed.

[unofan]

I don't think the government should be in the business of banning any form of speech. It just makes my skin crawl.

That last paragraph is exactly the scenario I was picturing.

To the extent the government both owns the cemeteries and cemeteries not being traditional places of public expression (like say, a state capitol), it has the right to express its own speech or limit the expression of contrary speech.

This was the issue in the license plate case that came up a year or two ago before SCOTUS. The Court found that license plates were the government's speech, not the driver's, and the state could limit, our allow, pretty much whatever it deemed appropriate.

[dxmnkd316]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

Further information:
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-actio...nal-cemeteries

Oddly enough, my Rep Betty McCollum voted "present."

[dxmnkd316]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

I think the ban is wrong unless we actually go the whole way and ban the flag like the Germans banned the swastika (and I don't think we should do that, unless we ban the old union flags as they were also associated with slaveholding).

I can see not having the states have the symbol in their modern flags. But if it's a confederate soldier's grave, and the flag is not illegal, then this regulation seems unconstitutional to me, or at least A Bad Idea.

I don't think the government should be in the business of banning any form of speech. It just makes my skin crawl.

That last paragraph is exactly the scenario I was picturing.

[Kepler]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

I despise the symbolism behind this, but I despise the ban on it even more:
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Upd...meteries-video

ETA: To clarify, I don't think the government should be placing the flags in cemeteries, but if someone wants to do it themselves, we're crossing into dangerous freedom of speech issues here.

I think the ban is wrong unless we actually go the whole way and ban the flag like the Germans banned the swastika (and I don't think we should do that, unless we ban the old union flags as they were also associated with slaveholding).

I can see not having the states have the symbol in their modern flags. But if it's a confederate soldier's grave, and the flag is not illegal, then this regulation seems unconstitutional to me, or at least A Bad Idea.

[dxmnkd316]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

I despise the symbolism behind this, but I despise the ban on it even more:
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Upd...meteries-video

ETA: To clarify, I don't think the government should be placing the flags in cemeteries, but if someone wants to do it themselves, we're crossing into dangerous freedom of speech issues here.

[Kepler]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

They Also Dont Think Discrimination Matters Much

The GOP just loves to make themselves look like bigots...so afraid to lose that Jesus Money!

The GOP would have defended the "religious liberty" to burn witches at Salem.

[Handyman]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

They Also Dont Think Discrimination Matters Much

The GOP just loves to make themselves look like bigots...so afraid to lose that Jesus Money!

[ScoobyDoo]

So, Congress thinks Zika is nothing to worry about. Good to know.

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

Good God. John McCain might get primaried.

Awesome. Love it.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

Good God. John McCain might get primaried.

He needed to retire after the '08 election, so I won't be shedding any tears for the guy if he's forced out.

[Kepler]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

Good God. John McCain might get primaried.

[Kepler]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

Oh please, please, please...

Tim Canova, the upstart liberal who’s challenging Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz for her congressional seat, is about to become a million-dollar candidate.

Fueled by small-dollar donors who give to Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, Canova said that, by the weekend, he’ll be on pace to have raised $1 million since he officially entered the race Jan. 7.

DWS must go down, and she must go down hard.

What I would not give for a post-DWS DNC.

[Kepler]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

This seems unlikely.

Paul Nehlen, a Wisconsin businessman and one-time Ryan supporter, found himself so aggrieved by the Speaker’s endorsement of the Trans-Pacific Partnership that he’s now hoping to take control of Wisconsin’s 1st congressional district in the August primary. The TPP is a trade agreement that seeks to stoke economic growth among the 12 countries involved, though critics say it will harm U.S. workers by moving jobs to developing countries.

In the video, the sleeveless shirt-wearing, woman-toting, motorcycle-cruising Nehlen offers Ryan the chance to “come back to Wisconsin and debate me man to man, face to face, on the realities of TPP. And if you don’t want to debate me, maybe we can arm wrestle.”

[Slap Shot]

One step forward, two steps back...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/...b01a5ebde596da

What a despicable bunch of aholes.