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Rabbi says the prophet Isaiah would not be pleased with Supreme Court Decision

Dear Supreme Court justices: When I heard about the McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission ruling, it made me plotz. I’m a rabbi, so I know much more about the Talmud than about torts. But if there’s any group that can compete with scholars of constitutional law, it’s rabbis. Your recent decision was all about the First Amendment and free speech. As I understand it, legal scholars have interpreted that word “speech” to include “political expression.” So far, I’m with you. I think the freedom of being able to talk politics without fear of reprisal, whether you are a mighty politician or a lowly voter, is A-OK. But when you said that political expression is the same as a campaign contribution, you lost me. The First Amendment protects the right of every citizen to speak freely. It does not protect the right to give money to politics. Money is not the same as speech. If you want to equate money with something, consider equating it with influence, not speech.

Read Rabbi Justus Baird’s (Dean of Auburn Theological Seminary) commentary at -- http://www.religionnews.com/2014/04/08/commentary-free-speech-just-got-expensive/



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