Practice English Speaking&Listening with: Stoplight: The First Amendment Amendment | CitizenLink
Hi, I'm Stuart Shepard. This is Stoplight.
You're good so far.
You have heard about a majority of Democrats in the Senate who are...
..What are you doing??
I'm the First Amendment Amendment Police.
What is that!?!
I'm here to make sure that you follow the amendment to the First Amendment.
Oh -- Well like I was saying, you may have heard about a majority of Democrats in the Senate who are backing an amendment to
the First Amendment. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says campaign money is
"Shady, Dark, Shadowy and Secret"
"Free speech shouldn't cost the American people a penny, a dime, certainly not a dollar"
So, he wants to change the First Amendment.
It's so outdated anyway.
Really?? Here, let me read it to you:
"Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of...
That's the problem right there.
What?
That free speech part. It's a little too -- free!!
But once you change "Congress Shall Make No Law" ...to "Congress Shall Make Some Law"
-- it's all over.
We need more restrictions on campaign dollars. That's what the Democrats are trying to do with their amendment.
It's not speech. It's just about campaign money.
You know, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell talked about exactly that. He said the American people
understand that the core of the First Amendment is political speech.
"Like the Founders they know that the free exchange of ideas and the ability to criticize
their government are necessary for our democracy to survive."
And practically every communication by a campaign cost money: Whether it's Radio ads, or Facebook ads, or buttons
with snappy campaign slogans -- Less money means less speech. Not to mention the fact that it could
ultimately give government the power to silence anyone who dares to criticize... government.
Annnnd -- your time is up.
You can't just stop me in the middle of a senten ---
