Freedom of Speech

Oh dear me. No Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, Rush Limbaugh et. al.- it is not about free speech. This concerns the very essence of capitalism.

These conservative pundits are free to say whatever they choose- except yell fire in a crowded theater as Felix Frankfurter noted or disclose classified secrets.

You can utter the most racist, ugly and false statements and apparently there is no network executive or human stopping you.

So if after spewing some foul rhetoric that is both dishonest and divisive which causes advertisers to flee your program, that is called the free hand of the free market.

Insurance companies and makers of dog food, for example, are not saying stop your hideous comments. No, their intent is to remove their products and services away from the immediate environs of your vile rhetoric.

In even starker terms: intone your racist and deceptive screeds. It’s just that dozens of companies don’t want their ads to run in between the screaming. In other words, they won’t pay you or your station but you are free to speak. Oh look- your network needs money. And that is about making a profit not the constitution.

To summarize, this is the free market in operation. Capitalism is good. Check your employee manual.

Laura Ingraham lost dozens of sponsors when she mocked mass shooting survivor David Hogg because he did not get into some of the colleges of his choice. As this middle-aged woman tried to humiliate a bright and effective activist in the most puerile fashion, companies fled.

Here is an update. David Hogg just announced that he is going to Harvard.

Congratulations David: you are helping to change the world.

And Laura keep selling pillows.

https://youtu.be/kG7szS15O8Q

Oh and speaking of capitalism and the choices to be made:

Don't Shop on Tuesdays.