Freedom of the Press and Speech
For all:
None of these cases, of course, involved corporations. But they do show that “liberty of the press” was seen as a right to publish to the world at large using the technology of the “press” (including by using others’ presses, whether for pay or because they liked what you wrote), not as a right that belonged to members a particular industry. The institutional media and other people are on par for purposes of “the freedom of speech, or of the press.” The constitutional protections offered to the institutional media are no greater than those offered to others. And thus if ordinary business corporations lack First Amendment rights, so do those business corporations that we call media corporations.Needless to say, it is quite tiresome to read the hysteria from The Left howling about how corporations will buy elections. They conveniently omit the fact that the decision also gives free reign to union election spending. The Left really does not want Freedom of the Press and Speech for all. Just those they want to have it. Which is why we have the First Amendment to our Constitution. The wisdom of our founding fathers never ceases to amaze.