RKMBs Forums .::Important::. Politics and Current Events Barack Hussein Obama in '08?

Do you really want a precedent set where politicians can threaten critics with criminal prosecution for "lying"?

Michael Moore and half of Air America could end up in a prison on that theory.

But, more realistically, the average citizen could feel a 'chilling effect' where he or she just decides its easier to keep their mouth shut than risk the wrath of the federal government for speaking their opinion.

Maybe you should ask McCain...

CBS News

witness the retarded moral equivalency that made mem famous.

how is there ANY similarity between legitimate depiction of a candidate's true political convictions - and correspondingly their likely actions once elected - and slanderous gossip about someone's personal life?

I don't know about America, but in many European countries we have all these slander and libel laws. Laws intended to ensure that people can defend themselves against what they consider untruthful articles, newsstories, etc.

However. If you knowingly and intentionally put yourself "out there" for election to a political office or simply gather for yourself a lot of press you lose the protection of these laws.
Technically you're still protected but you're unlikely to win a case because you yourself chose to open yourself to public scrutiny and criticism.

That aside I still think that americans are making this more about the person than the issues.

That's not particularly different than the US law in this area. And that's why Obama's actions against his critics are particularly invidious. He he trying to 'rewrite' longstanding US law on free speech to stifle his critics.

Records Reveal Baracks' Ties to Radical:

• While Barack Obama has long downplayed his connection to Bill Ayers, a co-founder of the violent Weather Underground radical group, new documents show the two worked much more closely together in starting an educational foundation than has been previously known.
  
  Recently released board-meeting minutes for the Chicago Annenberg Challenge show the two were present together at least six times in 1995 as the foundation's members discussed how to organize and operate the project, which was Ayers' brainchild.
  
  Obama has always acknowledged he and Ayers both worked at the foundation, but has insisted they never had more than a passing acquaintance.

Oopsie. No wonder he has to threatent people bringing this up.

G-man's arguement is one of principle, that even lies are worth free speach protection. I already know you feel that your entitled to say whatever you want but that's not what the arguement is. G-man was talking about candidates & what a chilling effect it would have on free speach if they threatened legal action. I presented an example where McCain has done precisely that.

As noted above, there's a difference-legal, political and even moral-between discussing a civil lawsuit for money damages and threatening a criminal prosecution.

no you didnt.

If someone has slandered or libeled you take them to court, if your are trying to oppress someone who is speaking against you, threaten them with jail.

Hmmn, perhaps at this point I should ask if there are any further exceptions you have on this if there are say any other instances McCain has tried to regulate what a campaign can or cannot do.

you should ask why Obama isnt suing them for libel/slander. i'll tell you why, even though you dont want to believe it, because if he did he would have to prove in court that these are lies, which of course they arent. it's easier to suppress free speech with fear monger tactics than through lawful channels.

I've never been a fan of McCain's campaign finance reform proposals and I've said so consistently over the years. Still, an across the board ban is not the same thing as trying to jail your critics.

Leading conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer pretty much threw in 'the white flag of surrender' this morning. He did a little slash and burn first, trying to mislead his readers into thinking that Obama has only been working at the federal level for 19 months - cute, but a lie - but still, even Krauthammer had to then concede that Obama is probably going to win. Now, don't get your hopes too high - we can still lose this. But the fact that people like Krauthammer are already publicly lamenting McCain's loss, one month before the election, is a very good sign. It means Republicans are pretty much convinced it's over. And that's golden.

So agree that Obama has very questionable associations with terrorists and racists? Or did you miss that and just portray the column the way youd like?

we already told you this yesterday comrade whomod. congrats and be gentle to us.


my garage door sticks sometimes in the summer you have to give it a little push....please tell whatever homeless family Furer Obama is sending to live there that bit of info.

you act like if FDR wasn't a Democrat, Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Carter, Clinton wearn't Democrats or that we've NEVER EVER had a Democrat in office before and you act as if a "Democrat" winning an election means that communism is taking over.

if it says anything it's that you guys have fallen hook line and sinker to all the crap the extreme right shovels to the point where you think Democrats truly are some enemy presence.

I know i know, it's in jest.... But really, some part of you believes this nonsense.

I don't have a problem with Democrats.....of all they guys on the list only Carter was a horrible President. It's Obama I have a problem with comrade......he is a fascist who plans to redistribute wealth....seize power from the people .....and stop all those who get in his way. I know this will mean jail for me and my family but I must go there with a clear conscience.

oh and in the summer my upstairs gets extremely hot because of poor insulation in the attic. They will have to keep the AC on at 72.

I voted for the Dem Governor last time in the Ohio election, I hope that the Great Leader will commute some of my sentence.

It's really sad that a man as young as Obama is going senile, forgetting things he's done and said, how many states are in the nation, unable to complete sentences. whomod told me that things like that are old age and losing one's mind when McCain does it, so it must be true with Obama as well. It has to be. whomod would never hold a Republican up to a completely different standard than a Democrat.

The Obama SS is training