That the yowling maddened #MediaJackals denning in the newsroom of the Philadelphia Inquirer allowed this bit of undergraduate-level sophistry to be published tells us quite a bit about the state of the so-called news business today.
One might as well say: “If we can’t get rid of newspapers, why not get rid of the newsprint and ink?”
The answer lies in the 1983 case of Minneapolis Star v. Minnesota Comm’r, 460 U.S. 575, which dealt with a “use tax” imposed by the state of Minnesota on the cost of paper and ink products. The Minnesota Supreme Court upheld the tax. The U.S. Supreme Court, however, held that “even regulations aimed at proper governmental concerns can restrict unduly the exercise of rights protected by the First Amendment” and therefore “the tax violates the First Amendment” and is unlawful.
(And note this was merely a tax, not a ban.)
The Bill of Rights prohibits you from screwing over newspaper publishers by banning or levying discriminatory taxes on newsprint and ink. The Bill of Rights prohibits you from screwing over gun owners banning or levying discriminatory taxes on ammo.
That the yowling maddened #MediaJackals denning in the newsroom of the Philadelphia Inquirer allowed this bit of undergraduate-level sophistry to be published tells us quite a bit about the state of the so-called news business today.
One might as well say: “If we can’t get rid of newspapers, why not get rid of the newsprint and ink?”
The answer lies in the 1983 case of Minneapolis Star v. Minnesota Comm’r, 460 U.S. 575, which dealt with a “use tax” imposed by the state of Minnesota on the cost of paper and ink products. The Minnesota Supreme Court upheld the tax. The U.S. Supreme Court, however, held that “even regulations aimed at proper governmental concerns can restrict unduly the exercise of rights protected by the First Amendment” and therefore “the tax violates the First Amendment” and is unlawful.
(And note this was merely a tax, not a ban.)
The Bill of Rights prohibits you from screwing over newspaper publishers by banning or levying discriminatory taxes on newsprint and ink. The Bill of Rights prohibits you from screwing over gun owners banning or levying discriminatory taxes on ammo.