…from SCOTUS:
The U.S. Supreme Court this morning handed down a 5-4 ruling in the consolidated cases Arizona Free Enterprise Club’s Freedom Club PAC v. Bennett and McComish v. Bennett, striking down Arizona’s speech-squelching “Clean Elections” law.
Go support the Institute for Justice. They’re doing yeomen’s work in defense of freedom.
It’s a little frightening, though, that so many of these crucial decisions are 5-4. We’re only one potential death away from an Obama appointment to reverse the ratio. All the more reason to make him a one termer (and about the only reason to vote for McCain last time around).
Did you see the other case decided – where the supremes decided that video games are protected under the first amendment? Do you think that may help broaden ITAR exception to cover blogs, etc?
I’m actually torn on this. The Thomas argument about establishments not engaging minors without parental consent is almost convincing. After all, a game is owned media the kid can keep it out of the parents reach, and only play it behind the parents back. If the parent purchases it in ignorance, but that’s on the parent. But there are some games that are deliberately enticing sexually and violently, and sometimes violently sexual. (Leather Goddesses of Phobos” “The worlds first scratch and sniff game.” you can figure it out, and yes, it’s eww.)
I really am on either side, perhaps internal pressure from producers to only work with distributors who support a “morals code” at a private level would be a better method, but the government should be the hell out of it.
Overall, I agree with the decision, because really, what the law would do, is give bad parents a patina of governmental support in their BS fabricated lawsuits, or the children a BS defense in court for an actual crime