Revoke Freedom of the Press? Right....

[thewayne]

"If I become president, oh do [the New York Times and the Washington Post] have problems...I'm going to open up our libel laws so...we can sue them and win lots of money...We're going to open up those libel laws, folks, and we're going to have people sue you like you never got sued before."
—Donald Trump

Apparently The Donald is not very familiar with the Constitution of the United States of America, something that I think would be good to know if you want to be that country's President. The First Amendment opens something like this:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press."

Apparently he wants to have a constitutional convention to have an amendment that would remove either the entire amendment, as some would like, or just 'the press' from this one.

Good luck with that.

Though on the other hand, it would ruin Fox News overnight. Perhaps there is something to this....

Comments

[silveradept]

I think Mr. Trump must think he can declare anything he doesn't like to be objectively false, and then use the libel laws to sue everyone that keeps insisting on truths he doesn't like.

If he really did think he can get the Constitution changed so as to remove the protections of the press, he's going to find out how much people really don't like him.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

Everything seems to be "I" with him. Not "Working with Congress, I will..." or "We will...". Emperor complex, he thinks he'll rule by divine right and can do anything simply by saying to have it done.

But that may be true of all of the RNC candidates.

[silveradept]

I think all the RNC candidates assume they can rule by fiat, because they'll also get all of Congress to align with them.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

Getting 'all of Congress' is a risky proposition, especially with the Republicans in the Senate swearing eternal opposition to Obama's SCOTUS nomination. Also, a lot more Dems show up to vote in presidential years than in off-year elections, so there could be some interesting changes in November.

But I think the big problem for a Republican president will be the Tea Party members of Congress. I have a feeling they could tie Congressional leaders in knots if they don't toe the Tea Party line, as McConnell learned and Ryan is learning.

[silveradept]

There is that, but it seems like a President Trump might also bring in more of the Tea Party coalition into the Congress, perhaps enough to make them the minority in charge of the minority in charge of the Congress.