Cruz Uncontrolled

Sen. Ted Cruz is making up stuff again, because that what he does all day, basically.  This time the Senate Democratic proposed amendment to the Constitution that would put a stop to the Supreme Court's awful Citizen's United ruling allowing unlimited corporate cash in elections has somehow become "The Senate will frog march Saturday Night Live writers into prison for making fun of politicians."

No, seriously.  That's his argument.

Sen. Ted Cruz says the comedy of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” is at risk and creator Lorne Michaels could be thrown in jail if a proposed Constitutional amendment on campaign finance is passed. 

“Congress would have the power to make it a criminal offense, Lorne Michaels could be put in jail under this amendment for making fun of any politician. That is extraordinary. It is breathtaking and it is dangerous,” the Texas Republican argued on the Senate floor on Tuesday, with a board of stills from the late-night sketch show displayed behind him.
Cruz said that the proposal, which will face a vote tomorrow, gives Congress the authority to prohibit corporations from engaging in political speech.

“Well, NBC which airs Saturday Night Live, is a corporation,” Cruz said, who gave his own impression of Dana Carvey as President George H.W. Bush. 

This only makes sense if you believe money and free speech are not only the same thing, but interchangeable as well.  Because under Cruz's logic, I could then buy Apple with blog posts.  If free speech is money, then money is free speech, right?

Cruz said he asked Minnesota Sen. Al Franken, a former SNL actor and writer, whether he believed Congress should prohibit SNL from making fun of politicians. 

“Now the good senator promptly assured me he had no intention of doing any such thing,” Cruz said. However, Cruz added that the debate was not about intentions, but the impact of the amendment.

Cruz, who has been lampooned on SNL himself, slammed Democrats for supporting what he called an “abominable provision.”

And if I remember, he got pretty pissy about being made fun of on SNL, too.  Funny how that works out.