In 1998, the "Child Online Protection Act" or "COPA" was passed. In 2004, the Supreme Court ruled that it was likely a violation of free speech. Moreover, pointing to the
findings of a report commmissioned by congress in 2000, they determined that the law wasn't even an effective means of accomplishing its goals. According to the study, educating the public, use of existing fitlering technologies (which would only have improved in the 4+ year span between the report and the ruling), and less restrictive/more targeted laws passed since were a more effective means that preserve citizens' right to choose and to free speech.
And yet,
here we are again, Bush blind to or purposely ignoring the facts around him and continuing to value his personal dream of a country locked into his personal moral code over the civil liberties he swore to uphold.