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News & ArtsMonday, October 15, 2012
2012 GOP in Pennsylvania Still Wants Rmoney to Win by Any Means
Posted by Charles Mudede on Mon, Oct 15, 2012 at 8:24 AM
Shouldn't the people who paid for this billboard be arrested?
In the wake of a court ruling that Pennsylvania citizens do not need photo identification to cast a ballot, state-sponsored billboards and ads are providing the misimpression such IDs are still required. A Spanish-language billboard highlighted by Bloomberg reads, “Si Quieres Votar Muéstrala,” meaning, “if you want to vote, show it,” and features a photo of a woman holding up her driver’s license:Why isn't this sort of thing (a brazen distortion of important facts concerning the democratic process) considered a serious crime?
1
son hijos/hijas de sus chigada pinche putas madres! USA! USA! USA!.....this place is broken fuck pa. and the g.o.p.
6
I'm sure freedom of speech has something to do with it. We, as Americans, are free to lie any time we like: on billboards, in SuperPAC ads, in Presidential debates, etc.
9
Charles,
However brazen the lying is according to you or anyone else, this type of advertising should be allowed under 1st Amendment protection. I loathe billboard advertising of any political stripe.
However brazen the lying is according to you or anyone else, this type of advertising should be allowed under 1st Amendment protection. I loathe billboard advertising of any political stripe.
11
I live in Philadelphia, and I actually noticed a sign like that just yesterday, except in English.
12
@9 Are you kidding? If I paid for a billboard that said "Remember, All Registered Republicans must have proof of passing an IQ test with a score of 93 or higher before you can vote!"
They either A. Wouldn't let me set it up, or the community would demand it taken down nearly immediately.
Speaking out against stupid free speech is just as important as allowing stupid free speech.
They either A. Wouldn't let me set it up, or the community would demand it taken down nearly immediately.
Speaking out against stupid free speech is just as important as allowing stupid free speech.
13
Agree "Speaking out against stupid free speech is just as important as allowing stupid free speech."
However, I am for allowing it. The 1st question one has to pose is when was the billboard displayed. The ruling was very recent as I recall. So, the display might not be disingenuous. But, if it was mounted after the ruling then the owner of the space is held accountable for displaying false information.
Look, as I mentioned to Charles, I loathe political advertising of any stripe on billboards, TV etc. But at the end of the day, stupid or even dishonest speech is protected.
However, I am for allowing it. The 1st question one has to pose is when was the billboard displayed. The ruling was very recent as I recall. So, the display might not be disingenuous. But, if it was mounted after the ruling then the owner of the space is held accountable for displaying false information.
Look, as I mentioned to Charles, I loathe political advertising of any stripe on billboards, TV etc. But at the end of the day, stupid or even dishonest speech is protected.
14
It's not about free speech, it's about tampering with the electoral process, which is a federal offense. It's little different from Rethugs jamming telephones to prevent Democratic GOTV. Whoever paid for these billboards should be prosecuted by the feds.
15
@13,
That isn't true. We can debate all day over whether it *should* be true, but the fact of the matter is that the government can and does regulate what may or may not be stated in advertising. Cigarette advertising must include warnings about the inherent risk of smoking. Cigarettes also can't be explicitly or implicitly marketed to children. Advertising also may not intentionally lie about the product; although those laws are rarely enforced because the FTC is useless.
There's nothing keeping the Pennsylvania legislature from outlawing ads meant to mislead potential voters. It won't, though, because Pennsylvania legislators are perfectly happy to suppress voter turnout.
That isn't true. We can debate all day over whether it *should* be true, but the fact of the matter is that the government can and does regulate what may or may not be stated in advertising. Cigarette advertising must include warnings about the inherent risk of smoking. Cigarettes also can't be explicitly or implicitly marketed to children. Advertising also may not intentionally lie about the product; although those laws are rarely enforced because the FTC is useless.
There's nothing keeping the Pennsylvania legislature from outlawing ads meant to mislead potential voters. It won't, though, because Pennsylvania legislators are perfectly happy to suppress voter turnout.
16
I think the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania should be the ones pushing for that billboard to come down. Or put up their own billboard close by stating the truth.
17
As the article points out, those billboards were put up by the state, which was running a big campaign to tell people about the voter ID law. Look at the URL at the bottom. It's not some third party voter suppression, it's leftovers from a state run PSA.
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