----- Original Message ----- From: "Gautam Mukunda" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Killer Bs Discussion" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2004 7:05 PM Subject: Re: LIBERAL TALKRADIO NETWORK TO LAUNCH MARCH 31
> --- Dan Minette <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > What I don't understand is how you can make this a > > consistent matter of > > principal. If you apply this to for profit > > corporations, then a number of > > things that you have defended as free speech are > > really coerced speech. > > For example, is it OK for Halliburton to contribute > > to political campaigns > > and run ads which are intended to influence the > > public on issues that are > > important to Halliburton? > > > > Dan M. > > But I don't apply it to for profit corporations. You > have a choice about those. You can buy their stock or > not. You can work for them or not. You _don't_ have > a choice about paying taxes. By choosing to buy their > stock, you assent to their using your money to speak > (and I'm glad to see that you agree with me that money > is speech :-) No, I'm just assuming your position a priori to see where it leads. :-) >It's fine for corporations to do that. > Unions, _as long as they operate under the open shop_, > can do so as well (closed shop unions are a different > situation). But I don't have a choice about my taxes. My taxes are being given to Halliburton to do things the government want done. I have as much choice in the matter as you do with NPR. They turn around and use part of that money to buy political influence. Public radio is given government money to run programs like "Engines of our Intuition. You object because NPR also runs news programs you think are biased. But, considering how little of even local station money comes from the government, and all the arts and science programs they run with that money, I see a parallel with corporations with big government contracts putting out public campaigns. The money for the Halliburton ads that I see dominate our morning news programs (is it just here) comes, in part, from my taxes. I see a parallel. Dan M. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
