Kudos to Ted Barlow for being the Lone Man on the Left to diss Ted Turner’s last remarks.
Ted Turner says his comments about how the terrorists were “brave” and “a little nuts” “were reported out of context, and I deeply regret any pain they may have caused.”
BZZZZT! Wrong answer! When Jerry Falwell said that his comments immediately after September 11th were taken out of context, I was furious, and I absolutely did not accept the “out of context” explanation. It’s no different here.
I think he is wrong, however, in another post in which he cites Jonathon Cohn. Cohn states:
“Unions and environmental groups can call upon millions of Americans who can write small, hard money checks or influence politics via more traditional means–i.e., by writing letters, marching in rallies, etc. Big corporations generally can’t do that. And while the Republicans can certainly count upon their own large membership organizations to do the same–I’m thinking here of the NRA and Christian Coalition–maybe McConnell worries their numbers and enthusiasm aren’t large enough to overwhelm the Democratic groups.
But if that’s the case, it’s quite a damning admission. It means that unless business groups are allowed to use their money to sway political debate, over the long run, popular opinion will nudge politics toward the left–and, more or less, in the direction of the Democrats. Or, to put it more simply, it means that Republican ideas don’t really have that much popular support.
No wonder McConnell is so worried.”
I think this is wrong for several reasons. The first reason I believe this is wrong is because Unions simply do not ‘call’ on people to write small checks because they choose to. They confiscate the money in the form of UNION dues, then spend them on whomever they choose. Landmark Legal Foundation currently has several lawsuits against the NEA doing precisely this (and there is much more invovled in this case, lest you think I am oversimplifying). This is the whole gist of the ‘Paycheck Protection” you hear Republicans screaming about in concert.
The second reason I disagree with this is that Mr. Cohn (got do these lefties love doing this) determines that he knows why McConnell is opposed to McCain-Feingold, and then goes ahead and tells us. I challenge anyone to prove that Mitch McConnel has not ALWAYS been a proponent of the 1st Amendment, even in cases in which it would be advantageous for him not to be…..