Protection for flag desecrators
Once upon a time, much like President Trump today, Joe Biden was outspoken about protecting Old Glory from desecration, calling the flag a “symbol that is needed to unite this nation.”
In fact, he was so incensed about a 1989 Supreme Court decision protecting flag-burning as free speech that he crafted legislation to circumvent the high court’s decision. A version of his bill became law. That law, which involved a $1,000 fine or a year of prison for flag desecrators, was ultimately struck down by the court as a violation of the First Amendment.
At the time, Biden said he would, if necessary, support a Constitutional Amendment to make flag-burning illegal. That time arrived the very next year. Though 16 Democrats voted for a constitutional amendment banning desecration of the flag, Joe Biden was not among them.
His campaign spokesman, Andrew Bates, told the Washington Post in July that Biden now does not support a constitutional amendment banning flag-burning.
Joe Biden’s tall tales about where he stands on pivotal issues rarely stand up to scrutiny and are subject to drastic morphing over time. If he can’t remember who he was yesterday, who can tell us how he would govern tomorrow?