Posted 5:35 PM by Bonnie

Another Tuesday Newsday and of course I'm more than a day late and a dollar short!

Two issues have recently been raised in regards to political ads.

First are the 527 Group Ads both sides are using to attack one another.

Should ALL 527 Group ads be condemned or only those with obviously false information?

Should all 527 group ads be made illegal?"

I'm going to answer both of those questions at one. While I would like to say all 527 ads should be made illegal, we have to remember we do have freedom of speech. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and is entitled to voice that opinion...

However! If the statements they are making are false then they are committing a crime and should be prosecuted. They should have to retract the ads, make a public apology ad, pay fines and even serve time. I don't care which side they are accusing they should get the facts straight and only air what is true, not what is heresay or obviously blatant lies.

When a member of the Bush campaign team appears in a 527 group ad, and a major Bush donor finances these same ads with a $100,000 donation can the 527 group still be called independent?

When a member of a campaign team appears in a 527 or a major donor to the campaign finances the ads with any amount of money, then no, they are no longer independent ads and the candidate becomes responsible for the content of the ad and again, if the ads prove to be lies then the candidate himself/herself should be prosecuted and be made to make a public apology, retract the statements, pay fines and even serve time. If an average citizen can be prosecuted for printing lies about another person, why not a politician?

And second, there's the Bush Ad using the Iraqi Olympic Soccer team.
Is Mr. Bush in violation of the IOC regulations which state that
the organization “shall be non-political and may not promote the candidacy of a individual seeking public office."
Was it right to use the images of the Iraqi Soccer team without their approval, or ANYONE's images without their approval? The Iraqi Soccer players were very upset about this ad.

Now that is just disgusting! No, he had no right to use the Iraqi Soccer teams images in his campaign ads without their permission. This is a very delicate time for them and regardless of whether king george thinks he freed the slaves, they may feel differently and might feel it tarnishes their image to be pictured in these ads. It is against the Olympic rules for any athlete to voice any political feelings and for georgie to use them in such a way is just sickening. He should be made to place an ad apologizing for his insensitivity and illegal actions. Hey can we impeach him on this one :-)?