Staff Reports
The Supreme Court, in a move that can only be described as a setback for the First Amendment, determined that social media users and the states of Louisiana and Missouri lacked the standing to challenge the Biden administration’s alleged coercive tactics. The case, Murthy v. Missouri, is now back to the lower courts, a place where it will likely continue to collect dust while government officials pat themselves on the back.
Justice Samuel Alito, always the voice of reason, pointed out that this decision effectively endorses a blueprint for government coercion, allowing future officials to control what Americans say, hear, and think. Bravo, SCOTUS! Because who doesn’t love a little government overreach to get through the day?
Today's SCOTUS decision makes it clear we urgently need to defend our God-given right to free expression. It's time to fight back and pass my Free Speech Protection Act so the government can no longer cloak itself in secrecy to undermine the First Amendment rights of Americans.… https://t.co/RB7MCRXhWp
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) June 26, 2024
But never fear, Senator Rand Paul is here, ready to remind Americans that there’s still a shred of sanity left in Washington. Paul took to X to advocate for his Free Speech Protection Act, a bill designed to smackdown Big Brother and ensure that the government can no longer hide behind bureaucracy to smother the First Amendment rights of its citizens.
Paul’s bill lays down the law, prohibiting any member of the executive branch from censoring speech protected by the Constitution. And if any federal employees or contractors feel tempted to play censorship czar, they might want to reconsider; the bill promises “severe penalties” for such activities.
The proposed legislation also calls for transparency, mandating frequent, publicly accessible reports on communications between executive agencies and Big Tech giants. It attempts to ensure that taxpayer money isn’t used to label media organizations as disinformation factories, and aims to terminate programs that pose threats to free speech and other constitutional rights.
Rep. Jim Jordan, who introduced companion legislation in the House, labeled censorship as today’s major threat to freedom. He emphasized that the Free Speech Protection Act aims to hold bureaucrats accountable and give individuals a way to combat censorship, thus safeguarding vital First Amendment freedoms. Jordan and Paul are showing America that not everyone in D.C. is willing to let Orwellian plots become reality.
So, while the Supreme Court may have fumbled the ball, there’s still hope as long as lawmakers like Paul and Jordan are willing to stand up and fight for the constitutional rights that make America, America.
