In Context: How to Entangle Free Speech

Free speech is about more than just saying something. Free speech is about saying something so that it can be heard and make a difference in the outcome of a situation.

While legal protection for the right to free speech has come at a price, there is also always a cost of exercising a meaningful right to free speech. Even if one is not directly spending money to speak, external adjudicators can always find an expense related to the exercise of free speech. Whether someone paid for the gas used to drive to a venue to speak or paid for internet access to connect to social media, a financial cost is unavoidable.

It is precisely these inevitable costs that makes laws about campaign finance a menace to freedom of speech.

Weekly Congress Update

Daily Digests – House • Senate — Prayers — Committee Reports

House sends spousal student loan bill to Biden’s desk (S. 1098)

Senate — Daily Leader Remarks • Actions begun, passed, declined

Senate approves climate treaty limiting HFCs, which US is already phasing down (Treaty Doc 117-1) • would raise cost of air conditioning

Senate Republicans block donor disclosure bill (S. 4822)

Schumer starts process for taking up stopgap funding bill (H.R. 6833) • despite snags over Manchin's energy plan

Latino group: Ted Cruz blocked nomination based on 'outright lie' (Floor Debate)

House — Weekly Leader Colloquy • Bills • Actions passed

Four House Republicans vote against bill on international religious freedom (S. 3895)

House passes Cheney's electoral reform bill (H.R. 8873)

House passes four policing bills despite Democratic division (H.R. 6448, H.R. 8542, H.R. 4118, H.R. 5768)