Contempt for the Law
When the executive, legislative, and judicial branches all fail to stand up for the First Amendment, maybe the bureaucratic branch should get a crack. The Washington Post profiles Bradley A. Smith, incoming chairman of the Federal Election Commission:
For Chairman Smith, almost all campaign finance regulation is wrongheaded, does the opposite of what it claims and routinely infringes on the right to free speech. Intellectual convictions, partisan interests and a Supreme Court decision are all pounding this former law professor, and he is getting a little testy.
"I'm not going to get sucked into this 'Will you enforce the law?' stuff," he replied to a question about how he will deal with one of the biggest issues to face the FEC. "I just don't want to answer it."
My hope is that he will enforce the law not at all, and McCain-Feingold will eventually sink into obscurity. My backup hope is that he will enforce the law with vigor and punctiliousness, prosecuting Americans of all stripes, Republican, Democrat, and Miscellaneous, Red, White, Blue, Purple, and Green—until it becomes intolerable to everybody. My expectation is that he will not enforce it until "The Republicans' failure to enforce McCain-Feingold" becomes an issue, and then will pick out a victim, perhaps Martha Stewart when she chooses her candidate.
Thanks to Free-Market.net for the link.