Obama's Chicago-Style Assault on Anonymous Political Speech
Rumors circulate that President Obama plans to issue soon a directive to further impose Chicago-style politics on Washington, D.C. The executive order, leaked a few months ago, would require anyone doing business with the government to publicly disclose his or her political activities, such as giving money to candidates or donating to the National Rifle Association or Planned Parenthood. In an AEI Legal Outlook paper, David Marston and I delve deeper into the First Amendment right to speak anonymously and President Obama’s campaign to introduce pay-to-play tactics more typical of corrupt city halls into federal contracting.
Following its defeat in Citizens United (which struck down financial limits on political advocacy by corporations and unions), the Obama administration has launched an unprecedented assault on free speech – here, even President Nixon considered, but ultimately dropped, ideas to discriminate against government contractors because of their politics. Under the guise of “transparency” and “accountability,” the executive order would open the door for retaliation against those opposed to the party in power and who hold unpopular views, as happened to the NAACP in the days of the Civil Rights movement or to supporters of California’s Proposition 8 banning gay marriage.
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Re: Obama's Chicago-Style Assault on Anonymous Political Speech
Michael Barone called this "Gangster Government." Let's face it. Barack Obama is no more committed to free elections than is Rahm Emanuel.
Jun '10
Re: Obama's Chicago-Style Assault on Anonymous Political Speech
This may slightly overstate the case, but isn't this a bit like the Soviets passing a law requiring the Andrei Sakharov disclose all his political activities (after all, he was a nuclear physicist working for the state)?
Gangster government? Here is Robert Conquest quoting Milovan Djilas (famous dissident) on Soviet government:
"Power for Stalin was a plot, with himself as chief plotter as well as the one cast to be plotted against. It was an expression of the civil war which Communists in power have always waged, and will always wage, against society.’ He adds that ‘of course, Russia under Stalin had ‘laws’ and ‘institutions’ on the statute books, and often these were even respected in matter such as driving on the correct side of the road, regulating the electricity supply of Tomsk, or the alcoholic content of vodka. But in all things pertaining to man’s spiritual and intellectual freedom, Russia under Stalin was a lawless land.’”
I undoubtedly overstate the case, but we have reason to see actions like this executive order in this light: the Obama government plotting against American society.
Edited on Jul 20, 2011 at 8:49amJul '10
Re: Obama's Chicago-Style Assault on Anonymous Political Speech
I have already seen a client with first rate performance disappear for having been too comfortable with the previous administration. This will just make the current process more efficient.
I'm thinking we should go back to electing Americans president.
Mar '11
Re: Obama's Chicago-Style Assault on Anonymous Political Speech
Look on the bright side. We'll all get nifty super-professional looking dossiers monitoring our various activities that file neatly in filing drawers. Its not as this information would be digitized and kept forever to be brought out for use at politically convenient times.
The President is just trying to protect you from ever thinking or doing the wrong thing, John, why can't you just respect his noble efforts.....
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On a serious note, this is a disturbing overreach and all the worse for being done by Executive order. Transparency indeed.
Prerogative, sir? I think you've lost the right to exercise it.
Jun '10
Re: Obama's Chicago-Style Assault on Anonymous Political Speech
The part I don't understand, and is mentioned by Yoo in his post, is what happens when the Democrats are out of office? Then Obama wants Republicans to do the same thing he wants to do? Let's not pretend that Republicans would be immune to abusing this mechanism. As we mostly agree here, power corrupts no matter who is in charge. I just don't get what this law is trying to achieve beyond what tabula rasa alludes to above.
Jun '10
Re: Obama's Chicago-Style Assault on Anonymous Political Speech
I think the "Chicago Way" is based on the assumption that you or someone just like you will be in power forever. Which is pretty much true in Chicago.