The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
Peter Robinson ·
January 5, 2012 at 7:25am
In his final years, to reach back to the only class I ever took in art history, Pablo Picasso entered a period of a creative bankruptcy, producing canvas after canvas in which he was derivative of his own earlier work, producing a sad, extended self-parody.
That thought came to mind, all unbidden, when, just now, I came across this summary of an editorial on the front page of the New York Times online:
Noncitizens who lawfully reside in this country have a right to add their voices — and contributions — to the electoral process.
Non-Americans, the editorial writers for the grey lady now believe, should have the right to help us choose, among other officials, our next president.
There is just nothing say to that, is there?
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Oct '10
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
"There is just nothing say to that, is there?"
Only, perhaps, that it's time to just ignore the Grey Lady? It's tough to do since (myself included) it's the Lefty rag we love to hate. But what if conservatives stopped reading, quoting, giving interviews to, thinking about and otherwise paying any attention to the New York Times? I doubt it has any influence with anyone that isn't already in lock-step with its ideology ... which is to say it simply reinforces the Left's self-love. It's a generational thing too ... the Baby Boom (of which I’m a not-proud member) will never stop thinking the New York Times matters, even though we are the only ones reading it anymore and it long ago lost its role in defining what is "news." Just a thought and probably some medicine I'll have trouble getting myself to swallow.
Apr '11
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
I'm afraid I come down on the side of the NYT here. The court's argument is that the First Amendment allows the government to prevent non-green card holders from paying a printer to reproduce political leaflets. The First Amendment makes no reference to citizenship status and should permit no campaign finance law to exist, particularly not laws such as this which directly restrict speech of exactly the kind envisioned by the founders (the production of political pamphlets). America's laws on the subject are some of the world's finest, but are still too restrictive.
Apr '11
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
I just noticed that the op-ed is by the Institute for Justice; while the NYT is not an authority respected by many conservatives, I was under the impression that the IJ was.
An example of praise heaped on them by an eminent jurist, picked at random:
During his acceptance speech for the award, Epstein remarked, “The Institute for Justice is a complete set of perfectionists. I have never worked for pay with a private law firm whose lawyers have been on average as good or better as the motley merry band of litigators from the Institute for Justice.”
Dec '10
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
James Of England: I just noticed that the op-ed is by the Institute for Justice; while the NYT is not an authority respected by many conservatives, I was under the impression that the IJ was.
An example of praise heaped on them by an eminent jurist, picked at random:
During his acceptance speech for the award, Epstein remarked, “The Institute for Justice is a complete set of perfectionists. I have never worked for pay with a private law firm whose lawyers have been on average as good or better as the motley merry band of litigators from the Institute for Justice.” · Jan 5 at 12:09am
I see what you did there...
But seriously, there is a fine line between allowing foreign influence over our electoral outcomes and allowing unrestrained political speech. Where that very fine line resides I have no idea. I'll leave that to others with far more education to determine. Is allowing undesirable elements (including furiners) freedom of speech simply part of the price we pay for our own freedom?
Apr '11
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
The King Prawn
But seriously, there is a fine line between allowing foreign influence over our electoral outcomes and allowing unrestrained political speech. Where that very fine line resides I have no idea. I'll leave that to others with far more education to determine. Is allowing undesirable elements (including furiners) freedom of speech simply part of the price we pay for our own freedom? ·
I feel slightly odd in writing this, because I pay for my access to this forum, and could conceivably use it to advocate for a candidate over another, although I'm sure you'll agree that to this point I have been scrupulously neutral. Were I to favor, for example, that nice Mr. Paul, do you believe that this would be a problem?
I don't mean "should I be arrested", but would my desire to persuade innocent Americans of his virtues be a moral vice, or perhaps not a moral vice, but a morally neutral desire likely to cause a harm that should be guarded against?
Is political speech less protected here than other speech? In other words, if I wrote persuasively about the virtues of modern jazz, would that be clearly OK?
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
Why on earth shouldn't non-citizens add their voices, Peter? I certainly add my voice to the discussion of Turkish politics, not to mention the politics of any other country I have an opinion about, and I like to think my voice is at times useful.
Should non-citizens be allowed to vote? No. But "add their voice?" Why not? Just as non-citizens, or citizens, should be free to disagree with them.
(I speak without having read the editorial in question. Perhaps I'm missing something.)
May '10
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
I for one was thrilled when John L'Carre and George Monbiot took it upon themselves in 2004 to "help" John Kerry by instructing the citizens of Ohio.
Mar '11
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
If I may, I think a distinction, at least in speech, should be made between “voice” and “contribution”—although surely there is some overlap in these categories.
I have little issue with any organization publishing a newsletter, website, buying advertising time or otherwise employing the freedom of the press to advocate for a particular perspective—whether they’re financed primarily by domestic or foreign capital is in this respect irrelevant. So, in cases of “voice”, I’m extremely open to all forms of speech.
“Contribution”, however, begins to get a little murky. Multinational organizations—corporations, banks, etc—have the freedom under our law to contribute to campaigns. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be uneasy about foreign sources of money entering the coffers of candidates or demand that candidates disclose these kinds of contributions. Whether financial contributions are made by citizens or domestic donors acting through their freedom of association, or whether those contributions are from abroad and being funneled through some domestic front organization, or some combination thereof, matters greatly.
Voting is a no brainer. Only citizens get to vote. Any voter fraud should be rigorously investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Mar '11
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
Peter Robinson
Non-Americans, the editorial writes for the grey lady now believe, should have the right to help us choose, among other officials, our next president.
There is just nothing say to that, is there? ·
Err, yes there is.
Mr Steyn is a non-American who appears as a sinister foreign guest host on Rush from time to time. He does not hide his political views, and helps us choose our next President - is he breaking the law?
I think not. I hope not, anyway.
Jul '11
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
The article doesn't specifically state "vote" here, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with stating an opinion. It does also mention "contributions" here, too, which I know are also considering a type of speech, in terms of dollars donated to a candidate.
But essentially, the NYT is arguing for non-citizens to actively participate in state, local, and national politics. I wonder how that type of encouragement for "non-citizens" would go over, in, say, Turkey? Iran? Canada? I suppose this all gets more complicated, including tax laws, etc., regarding the question of whether or not the non-citizen contributes to the public welfare, but still - why doesn't the NYT encourage those non-citizens who are that interested in participating in the political process to become citizens?
Oct '10
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
Claire Berlinski, Ed.:
Should non-citizens be allowed to vote? No. But "add their voice?" Why not? Just as non-citizens, or citizens, should be free to disagree with them.
(I speak without having read the editorial in question. Perhaps I'm missing something.) · Jan 5 at 1:36am
Yup. Andrew Sullivan is not a citizen of the U.S., but is an influential blogger in U.S. politics.
May '10
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
Only citizens have rights. I say this as a non-citizen of the country I am residing in now. The protection of the law is extended, as a courtesy, to all others.
Mar '11
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
Claire Berlinski, Ed.: Why on earth shouldn't non-citizens add their voices, Peter? I certainly add my voice to the discussion of Turkish politics, not to mention the politics of any other country I have an opinion about, and I like to think my voice is at times useful.
Should non-citizens be allowed to vote? No. But "add their voice?" Why not? Just as non-citizens, or citizens, should be free to disagree with them.
(I speak without having read the editorial in question. Perhaps I'm missing something.)
I'm inclined to agree, as I consider myself pretty much an absolutist on free speech, but I still have some qualms.
Can the Peoples' Republic of China make open donations to political candidates? A donation to a candidate is political speech if anything is -- money talks. It would save them a lot of time and effort finding cut-out Buddhist monasteries to use to funnel contributions. We could deny the government of China's ability to do this, I guess, but how would we keep the Comrade Generals from cutting checks on their own?
Does the PLA have a SuperPac? Do we want it to?
Jul '10
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
James Of England: I just noticed that the op-ed is by the Institute for Justice; while the NYT is not an authority respected by many conservatives, I was under the impression that the IJ was.
An example of praise heaped on them by an eminent jurist, picked at random:
During his acceptance speech for the award, Epstein remarked, “The Institute for Justice is a complete set of perfectionists. I have never worked for pay with a private law firm whose lawyers have been on average as good or better as the motley merry band of litigators from the Institute for Justice.”
IJ, who I happen to support on most issues, is better characterized as libertarian rather than conservative. And the speech issue is non-cobtroversial. Foreign political donations, whether or not the donations occur in a Buddhist temple, are not. Nor are they supposedly legal, though I seem to have missed where any cases were actively prosecuted recently. Including in the matter of the Obama campaign supposedly in 2008 turning off the logging feature on their web donation servers that would have recorded the geographical location of donors.
Mar '11
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
The Guardian made a noisy -- and particularly ineffective -- effort to influence the 2004 election in Clark County, Ohio. One wonders if they would have focused on Clark County if they had known who its namesake was. The response was summarized under a very un-CoC-compliant headline by The Grauniad itself (you have been warned!) here.
Nov '10
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
The US certainly plays an active role in other countries' politics; not to expect the same back would be a little blind.
As for individual residents, here in Canada it's pretty open. Permanent residents are encouraged to participate, they just can't vote. Most are on the path to citizenship; learning to participate in the political process is an important part. On the other hand Canada can be sometimes strict about those who are just visitors (though not usually strict enough); for example Bill Ayers was recently denied entry.
Dec '10
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
Have you not read the Declarartion of Independnace? Rights are endowed by the creator, not by citizenship.
May '10
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
Foxman
Have you not read the Declarartion of Independnace? Rights are endowed by the creator, not by citizenship. · Jan 5 at 6:02am
The Declaration is not a legal document.
Nov '10
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
outstripp
Foxman
Have you not read the Declarartion of Independnace? Rights are endowed by the creator, not by citizenship. · Jan 5 at 6:02am
The Declaration is not a legal document. · Jan 5 at 6:37am
I don't know what Japan's laws are, but certainly in Canada they quite explicity have rights.. They are just more limited than those of citizens (e.g., they can't vote, they can't have Canadian passports, they can be booted from the country for serious crimes.)
Edited on January 5, 2012 at 3:46pmApr '11
Re: The Grey Lady Enters Her "Late Picasso" Period
According to our esteemed leader Obama, the Citizens United decision now means that foreign corporations are allowed to influence our elections through their contributions, or at least that is how George Soros explained it to him.
It makes sense if we are all global citizens using the laws of other countries to determine the constitutionality of our own laws then it is important for countries ruled by foreign despots to have a say in who governs in this country.
I wonder if the Chicoms will be excited about supporting Obama in the next election now that they're going to get pennies on the dollar for their investments in U.S. debt?