We may have not always liked what they had to say, but one of the more refreshing aspects of the recent election was the emergence of the 527s who threw money, passion and greater popular involvement into the electoral process. In consequence (and regardless of what you thought about the result) as a civic exercise the election was something of a success.

Unsurprisingly, this has infuriated the same Washington barons who brought us McCain-Feingold-Bush. There are now attempts to crack down on the 527s. As I said, no surprise there. What is disappointing is that other previously more principled politicians have now joined in the attempt to suppress free speech. Ryan Sager has more on this topic in an excellent piece that can be found here. As I read it, these words from the end of Animal Farm came to mind:

“There was the same hearty cheering as before, and the mugs were emptied to the dregs. But as the animals outside gazed at the scene, it seemed to them that some strange thing was happening. What was it that had altered in the faces of the pigs? Clover’s old dim eyes flitted from one face to another. Some of them had five chins, some had four, some had three. But what was it that seemed to be melting and changing? Then, the applause having come to an end, the company took up their cards and continued the game that had been interrupted, and the animals crept silently away. But they had not gone twenty yards when they stopped short. An uproar of voices was coming from the farmhouse. They rushed back and looked through the window again. Yes, a violent quarrel was in progress. There were shoutings, bangings on the table, sharp suspicious glances, furious denials. The source of the trouble appeared to be that Napoleon and Mr. Pilkington had each played an ace of spades simultaneously. Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.”

Senator Lott, you can do better than this.