On today’s (Sunday) Downsize DC Conference Call (radio show), I’m going to have two guests. And we have a brand new feature you’re going to like.
And if at least one of my guests can’t get you interested and excited — ready to listen and even participate — well, you might be asleep. Wake up! It’s going to be quite an informative and entertaining program.
Guest #1 – David Keating, SpeechNow.org
The show starts at 3:06 PM Eastern (2:06 PM Central, 1:06 PM Mountain, and 12:06 PM Pacific), and I’ll be joined during the first hour by David Keating, Executive Director of the Club for Growth. But it’s not his day job that interests me this April afternoon. He’s also the man behind SpeechNow.org.
SpeechNow.org is suing the Federal Election Commission (FEC), with the expert assistance of folks like former FEC Chair Brad Smith. This group, led by today’s guest, David Keating, is challenging the restrictions campaign finance laws place on the exercise of First Amendment rights — asserting the “freedom of association” principle
Many of you may remember or know that my show sponsor and my employer, DownsizeDC.org, Inc., which has been operating since mid-2004, was preceded by RealCampaignReform.org, Inc.(RCR). RCR was the organizing plaintiff of Paul v. FEC, one of eleven plaintiff groups that participated in McConnell v. FEC, a challenge to the un-Constitutional, McCain-Feingold, Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA). I have a deep and abiding interest in this issue because I recognize that . . .
This issue is very important if you’re involved in electoral campaigns challenging incumbents. And this subject is crucial if you’re involved in a third party. Campaign finance restrictions really are “incumbent protection acts.”
One successful challenge to BCRA’s infamous “electioneering communications” restrictions, by Wisconsin Right to Life, has already re-opened a First Amendment right, and poked a hole in McCain-Feingold.
For round two, enter SpeechNow.org.
Their approach is brilliant. I believe it could, if successful, cripple these anti-Constitutional campaign finance laws to the point that even the incumbent politicians might want to discard them. After all, these laws won’t protect incumbents anymore.
I agree with SpeechNow.org: Campaign finance laws restrict First Amendment rights in the areas of speech and association. But they also restrict your rights in the areas of press and the right to petition the government. In other words, these anti-democratic laws gut the First Amendment.
So this is a very important topic. We’ll have more to say about this case as time goes by. But for today, I hope you’ll have good questions for David Keating.
The toll-free call in number is 1-800-259-9231. Or, if you’re shy, you can email me, CALL at DOWNSIZEDC dot ORG (I ask that you type that address in as it sounds because if I provide a hyperlink, spam harvesting programs will snag the address, and I’ll end up with a bunch of junk in my show inbox).
Guest #2 – Ed Brayton, mega blogger, Dispatches from the Culture Wars
This past Friday, a new movie came out in theaters. “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.” This documentary, starring Ben Stein, is about how Intelligent Design (I.D.) advocates claim they are discriminated against by Darwinists and neo-Darwinists. Viewers of this film are also told that Darwinism results in the likes of Stalin, Mao, Hitler, and Pol Pot.
During the second hour of the show, Ed Brayton, who is also one of the co-founders of the Panda’s Thumb science blog, will help us give this movie the review it deserves. [Disclosure: Mr. Brayton is also a blogging colleague of mine at PositiveLiberty.com].
Of course, you might disagree with Ed. Great, then give us a call.
Remember, the number is 1-800-259-9231, and the email address is CALL at DOWNSIZEDC dot ORG.
And of course, somewhere in the program, we’ll pause and give you an update from our other wonderful sponsor, Gun Owners of America.
Now, doesn’t that all sound very interesting? …informative? …entertaining?
A Brand New Feature
Starting with today’s show, within a few hours after I go off air, my network, Genesis Communications, will have a podcast available of both hours of today’s show. You can download an mp3, and the current episode is supposed to be posted and available until the next episode is recorded. The link to get the podcast is gcnlive.com/pubpod/down_dc/pcast.php
Station List
The very best way for everyone to listen live and participate in the show is at the Genesis Communications Network website.
But the show airs in Montana, Missouri, Tennessee, and Ohio. And in recent weeks we’ve heard of it being played in Nevada, Texas, West Virginia, and elsewhere. Who knows where we’ll pop this week? Well, here are the stations we’re supposed to be on today . . .
* WCER 900-AM Canton, Ohio
* WBCR 1470-AM Maryville, Tennessee
* KLID 1340-AM, Poplar Bluff, Missouri
* KGEZ 600-AM, Great Falls, Montana
Happy Listening,
Jim Babka
Host
Downsize DC Conference Call
* The Downsize DC Conference Call is Jim Babka’s show and DownsizeDC.org, Inc is merely a sponsor. The views expressed on the program are not necessarily those of the Downsize DC board, staff, or supporters. This message is distributed as part of a promotional arrangement.
** Neither Jim Babka nor DownsizeDC.org has no control over when the his show is available for podcast or whether that podcast works at any given point. Inquiries and technical issues should be addressed to the webmaster at GCNLive.com.