Of money and speech

You'd think that after its recent electoral drubbing, the Republican party would keep its head down for a while and re-assess its rhetoric. You would think wrong.

The Manchester Union-Leader reports that Newt Gingrich is still blatting out the same old anti-liberty platform, demanding that American citizens give up their traditional, vital freedom of speech. Or else... or else.... boogaboogabooga! The big bad terrorists will getcha! Booga booga!

Gingrich, speaking at a Manchester awards banquet, said a "different set of rules" may be needed to reduce terrorists' ability to use the Internet and free speech to recruit and get out their message.

"We need to get ahead of the curve before we actually lose a city, which I think could happen in the next decade," said Gingrich, a Republican who helped engineer the GOP's takeover of Congress in 1994.

As several commenters have noted, Gingrich seems to be blissfully, or willfully, unaware that the only city we have "lost" was lost due to Republican incompetence, arrogance, and willful failure to provide the kind of services that are government's only legitimate excuse for existence. And that's not the only irony afoot. The award dinner was intended to "honor people who stood up for free speech."

But of course Gingrich has a different definition of "free speech" than us Little People.

Gingrich sharply criticized campaign finance laws he charged were reducing free speech and doing little to fight attack advertising. He also said court rulings over separation of church and state have hurt citizens' ability to express themselves and their faith.

Restrict American citizens' freedom of speech, using terrorist boogeymen as an excuse. Eliminate restrictions on bribes from the corporate aristocracy. Censor criticism of politicians (i.e., "attack ads"). Establish a State Religion so that politicians can "express their faith" by favoring their co-religionists and persecuting others.

Yep, that'll protect freedom. Uh-huh.