New Book Blog Post #4 President Trump has called the press “our country’s biggest enemy”.

The First Amendment in the Unites States’ Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of the press. Justice Stewart said that because of the role the press plays in keeping the public informed…the press is constitutionally entitled to government “sensitivity”.

But President Trump has called the press “our country’s biggest enemy”.

This point of view harks back to 1798, when President John Adams was the leader of the Federalist Party. He and its members believed that their political party was the government because once the people elected them there should be no criticism. In fact by electing them, the people had passed all decision-making powers to the party in power. The Federalists passed the Alien and Seditions Acts, which were designed to overpower dissenters, ensure conformity and get rid of foreigners. Many people were arrested for sedition, including newspaper writers and editors. When found guilty, they would be jailed and fined up to $5000.

By the Way: When Thomas Jefferson was elected president in 1800, by a wide margin, the Alien and Seditions Acts were repealed.