You can’t steal music and use it without permission, even if you do pay the royalties although many republicans don’t. Artists have the right to deny use of their music to commercial and political concerns. Plain and simple: if you don’t ask for and get permission, you don’t have it.

Sure, the republicans *could* have some pro-rightwing group record the song (not use the original) and pay royalties, there’s nothing to legally prevent that. But you don’t get to use copyrighted material without asking….which is really ironic, considering it is those scumbags who try to empower the RIAA and extend copyright lengths.

Here are but a few republicans who are and have been guilty of copyright violation:

Mitt Romney – Silversun Pickups, “Panic Switch”

Mitt Romney – K’Naan, “Wavin’ Flag”

Paul Ryan – Rage Against the Machine

Ronald Reagan – Bruce Springsteen, “Born in the U.S.A.”

Newt Gingrich – Survivor, “Eye Of The Tiger”

Charlie Crist – Talking Heads, “Road to Nowhere”

Chuck DeVore – Don Henley, “All She Wants to Do Is Dance”

Sarah Palin – Heart, “Barracuda”

Michelle Bachmann – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “American Girl”

Michelle Bachmann – Katrina and the Waves, “Walking On Sunshine”

John McCain – Jackson Browne, “Running On Empty”

John McCain – Foo Fighters, “My Hero”

John McCain – John Mellencamp, “Pink Houses”

John McCain – John Mellencamp, “Our Country”

Mike Huckabee – Boston, “More Than A Feeling”

George Bush – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “I Won’t Back Down”

George Bush – Orleans, “Still The One”

That’s not a complete list.