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NEWS AND VIEWS THAT IMPACT LIMITED CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT

"There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with
power to endanger the public liberty." - - - - John Adams

Friday, June 22, 2012

Supreme Court strikes two blows for freedom

General Alexander Hamilton.
Hamilton's Federalist vision of the Supreme Court is still working today.


The Federalist Papers #78 
 "The interpretation of the laws is the proper and peculiar province of the courts. A constitution is, in fact, and must be regarded by the judges, as a fundamental law. It therefore belongs to them to ascertain its meaning, as well as the meaning of any particular act proceeding from the legislative body." - - - - Alexander Hamilton


On Freedom of Speech
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The Supreme Court has been in agreement on a number of issues of late.  See THE FEDERALIST - "Supreme Court gets ready for Obamacare."

The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously threw out fines and other penalties against broadcast companies that violated the Federal Communications Commission policy regulating curse words and nudity on television airwaves.
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But the justices declined to issue a broad ruling on the constitutionality of the FCC's indecency policy. Instead, the court concluded only that broadcasters could not have known in advance that obscenities uttered during awards show programs and a brief display of nudity on an episode of ABC's "NYPD Blue" could give rise to penalties. ABC and 45 affiliates were hit with proposed fines totaling nearly $1.24 million.     (AP News)

The Federalist Founding Fathers still work their magic on a modern America through the Supreme Court which strikes blows for freedom against laws passed by Congress. 

On Union Dues
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The Supreme Court in a 7-2 judgment written by Justice Samuel Alito ruled Thursday that unions must give nonmembers an immediate chance to object to unexpected fee increases or special assessments that all workers are required to pay in closed-shop situations.
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The court ruled for Dianne Knox and other nonmembers of the Service Employees International Union's Local 1000, who wanted to object and opt out of a $12 million special assessment the union required from its California public sector members for political campaigning. Knox and others said the union did not give them a legally required notice that the increase was coming.
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"When a public-sector union imposes a special assessment or dues increase, the union must provide a fresh ... notice and may not exact any funds from nonmembers without their affirmative consent," Alito said.     (AP News)


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