WAPO: Richard Milhous Obama? “Even if no corrupt action is ever taken by the president’s political appointees, just the existence of these new rules would have a chilling effect on free speech. Businesses that disagree with the president’s policies would be discouraged from exercising their right to free expression for fear that doing so would jeopardize their chances of being awarded government contracts. Meanwhile, there would be an unspoken incentive for businesses seeking contracts to contribute to candidates and causes supported by the White House. The proposed executive order is so bad that even some senior Democrats on Capitol Hill are refusing to go along.” They don’t want to set a precedent for the Palin Administration, I guess.