I have a post in my head about the larger Constitutional topic but once again, we see that Constitution is a GREAT constrictor of nascent totalitarians like US Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif).
California Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) blatantly confessed on CNN that he “would love to be able to regulate the content of speech” but that he’s stopped by that pesky First Amendment, which keeps his powers in check.
Appearing on CNN with host Brianna Keilar, Lieu was asked to discuss the congressional hearing with Google CEO Sundar Pichai about political bias within the company and how it might affect the country. Keilar at one point questioned Lieu about what politicians can do to put a stop to online trolling and conspiracy theories. Lieu confessed that he would love to regulate speech but that the First Amendment prevents him from doing so. To his credit, he does add that it’s better that the government not regulate free speech.
I’m not sure about that “to his credit” bit. Here’s the verbatim quote:
“It’s a very good point you make,” Lieu said. “I would love if I could have more than five minutes to question witnesses. Unfortunately, I don’t get that opportunity. However, I would love to be able to regulate the content of speech. The First Amendment prevents me from doing so, and that’s simply a function of the First Amendment, but I think over the long run, it’s better the government does not regulate the content of speech.”
When I read and listened to the clip, it felt like the “The First Amendment prevents me” was more of a quick CYA after realizing what he just said as a current elected representative who has sworn an oath to protect and defend the US Constitution. All of it, not just some of it. All the time, and not just when it is [politically] opportunistic. I do believe that this was a true gaffe – speaking the truth even as it shouldn’t be because it hurts “The Narrative”. I will give him “credit” – he certainly kept a straight face about it.
This is what we see on the Left – censoring (where the word du jour is “deplatforming” as if that makes it sound better than SHUT UP!) every topic they don’t like and silencing those who would dissent from their theology (don’t you just long for the days when Democrats screamed from the rooftops that “dissent is highest form of patriotism”? Good times, good times…). Antifa, college radicals, Democrat Socialists of America, the Progressive movement in its entirety, the tech FAANG giants (and lets not forget Twitter!) – which of them are upholding the spirit of the First Amendment? And then this Democrat solon just outright admits what I am betting is a large percentage of Democrats.
But think about it – while many Conservative may hurl sneakers at their TVs and yell “just shut UP already!” from time to time, I think it would be fair to say that none would really want to silence or censor the other side. In fact, we’d rather debate them, engage in the arena of ideas, and not silence them. The antidote to bad speech is good and more speech – a maxim that I believe the Left is leaving behind them.
The fact that Lieu would even dare say what he did is an indication of how far distant the precepts of the US Constitution are fading from their core. Contemplate that – he, as an elected Democrat official, has no problem in being the judge with respect to what is allowed or disallowed in that arena of ideas. Like I keep thinking, these people are starting to be gods all unto themselves.
Sidenote: as in “I HAVE THE POWER!” from the old HE-MAN cartoon series. Oh wait, look at that name! Now there’s a cartoon series that could never be made nowadays – “toxic” masculinity, dontcha know).
I daresay that many in Congress agree with him – just not as willing to say it. But as Andrew Brietbart said “Politics is downstream from Culture” and the Left’s culture firmly accepts censorship and speech regulation. For instance, given the leftward cant of the college I just taught at, I warned my students that I was not politically correct and wasn’t going to play the “pronoun game” or play it safe. Fortunately, being an engineering class, it really wasn’t a problem but as the head of the department warned me, students today are all too willing to complain about anything.
Sidenote: Fortunately for me, the only thing they complained about was too much homework. I told her, yup, probably so but hey, they’re PAYING ME to teach them stuff – so I crammed a LOT of material into the class.
I used to think that a lot of the PC nonsense swirling around campuses would just stay there. Unfortunately, it has burst out from them like the alien did from that guy’s chest in Alien.
Where’s my flamethrower?
(H/T: RedState)
