Cover image for The government's speech and the Constitution
The government's speech and the Constitution
Title:
The government's speech and the Constitution
Author:
Norton, Helen L., 1963- author.
ISBN:
9781108417723

9781108405621
Physical Description:
ix, 241 pages ; 24 cm.
Series:
Cambridge studies on civil rights and civil liberties

Cambridge studies on civil rights and civil liberties.
Contents:
Introduction : the government's speech and why it matters -- Determining whether and when the government is speaking (and why that matters) -- The government's speech and religion -- The government's speech and equality -- The government's speech and due process -- The government's speech, free speech, and a free press -- The government's speech and political contests -- Responding to the government's destructive speech -- Conclusion.
Abstract:
When we discuss constitutional law, we usually focus on the constitutional rules that apply to what the government does. Far less clear are the constitutional rules that apply to what the government says. When does the speech of this unusually powerful speaker violate our constitutional rights and liberties? More specifically, when does the government's expression threaten liberty or equality? And under what circumstances does the Constitution prohibit our government from lying to us? In The Government's Speech and the Constitution, Professor Helen Norton investigates the variety and abundance of the government's speech, from early proclamations and simple pamphlets, to the electronic media of radio and television, and ultimately to today's digital age. This enables us to understand how the government's speech has changed the world for better and for worse, and why the government's speech deserves our attention, and at times our concern.