Fighting for voters rights one day, trashing the First Amendment the next
It wasn’t long ago when Sen. Brian Schatz (D) and Senate wanna-be Rep. Colleen Hanabusa were falling all over themselves to ensure that Puna residents slammed by Tropical Storm Iselle would not be disenfranchised. These candidates could not get to the Big Island fast enough to glad-hand everyone under the guise of protecting Puna residents’ constitutional right to cast their votes.
But truth be told, Puna would never have seen either of those candidates in their neighborhoods or hosting town hall meetings were it not out of necessity. It just wouldn’t have happened.
Okay, fast forward to the first day of business in the U.S. Senate after the August recess. With all that’s going on; Americans beheaded amid ISIS’s deadly advance, the president’s promise to legalize 5 million to 6 million illegal immigrants, sanctions against Russia threatening peace in Europe, a weakening dollar and a sagging economy, what do you suppose is the top priority for Harry Reid, D-Nev., and the Democrats? Why not amend the Bill of Rights?
That’s right. They want to radically shrink our First Amendment protection of political speech. You know the one, “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech.” Yep, on the very first day after summer break, 48 Democratic senators, including Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono, voted to take away Americans’ rights of free speech by giving legislators speech-regulating powers as it relates to contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections. Talk about disenfranchisement. This would effectively give incumbents — the legislators who would take over speech-regulation powers — even more advantages over political opponents. There would be no reason to vote.
Did they check with the Puna residents they were so concerned about weeks ago? Does this make you feel like they give a rat’s behind about our rights? Was this by consent of “We the People”? No, and it seldom is these days.
Michelle “Mike” Kerr
Waikoloa