The Best Things in Life Are Free (or should be)

Like Speech. And Democracy.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again: I realize the speech isn't free, because it costs, and has costed, lives in its defense.

This is materially different than saying that speech should not cost money, which is the current paradigm, making those with deeper pockets more able to afford to speak (and, by extension, decide who runs and who wins).

This makes sense in a late stage capitalist society, where everything has a price tag. However, I strongly doubt that this is the meaning of the "value" of free speech in a democratic society.

The relative merits of one candidate over another are now subservient to the idea of fundraising, and it is interesting that Bill Clinton brought up the influence of money on the Daily Show, and the need to fundraise when his wife, the media annointed candidate, is in a bit of a scrape for questionable contributions.

But its really not just Hillary, but all of them. EVERY CANDIDATE. EVERY ONE.

The effect of this phenomenon is alienating, to say the least. (more later...)