REGULATE the INTERNET? FEC Commish Brad Smith/LIVE/RIGHTALK/3pm est! Taking calls! 866-884-8255

RIGHTALK.com ^ | 3-5-05 | Bob J

[Bob J]

Today at 3pm est, "Insights from Washington" with Paul Rodriguez will have FEC Commissioner Bradley Smith as a guest to discuss the recent BUZZ about the FEC extending McCain-Feingold regulations to the INTERNET!

CALL in with YOUR questions! 866-884-8255! If you can't call, list your questions here and we will forward them to Mr. Rodriguez!

[Publius6961]

< ahem >

Are you assuming that the entire universe knows exactly what "McCain-Feingold" means?
Or are you assuming that they should respond like robots because you say so?

[AmericanInTokyo]

"Dear FEC:

If interested in embarking upon study and eventual institution of various methodologies to regulate Free Speech on the Internet (as it has become a recent threat), I can propose hearings in the field for your organization. While you may be interested in having hearings or interviews in D.C. you can also conduct some fact-finding missions.

I would propose a visit to the Korean Worker's Party Technology Committee, Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Time difference, 14 hours. Location, East Asia. Form of Government, One Party Communist Familial Dynasty (chuche ideology). State security apparatus, Korean Workers Party Intelligence Bureau.

Here you should be able to find all kinds of creative ideas for controlling the Internet in the United States and maintaining a level of internet usage that will not allow it to escalate into a direct threat toward the Government and other power-elites in the United States. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea should have some interesting solutions on the correct method of safe and appropriate Internet usage and diffusion among the Masses, to guarantee state security and order." ....... / sarc

[Labyrinthos]

And why is this breaking news?

[dirtboy]

Today at 1pm est, "Insights from Washington" with Paul Rodriguez will have FEC Commissioner Bradley Smith as a guest to discuss the recent BUZZ about the FEC extending McCain-Feingold regulations to the INTERNET!

My question to Rodriquez would be why he is so concerned about the internet, given the MSM's rampant abuse last election of their exemption from any McCain-Feingold restrictions - ranging from RatherGate to the Philly Daily News endorsing John Kerry in June of 2004 and the Philadelphia Inquirer running 21 days of endorsements for Kerry.

[Bob J]

"Are you assuming that the entire universe knows exactly what "McCain-Feingold" means?"

Uhhh...I'd say 90% on FR know what it is.

[Bob J]

The issue of potential FEC regulations on political internet activity has been a breaking news item the last day or two. Having an FEC Commissioner on a LIVE call in show allows FReepers an opportunity to ask questions relating to this issue directly to one of the six people who will be making these decisions.

Maybe borderline breaking but important enough to the FR community to put it in that sidebar.

[Dead Corpse]

CNets take on it...

Got the link from Nealz Nuze.

This would pretty much shut FR down during an election cycle. Like we SAID they would try and use it for.

[hope]

Bttt. I'm surprised at the flack your getting over this post.

[Mo1]

From your Link

In just a few months, he warns, bloggers and news organizations could risk the wrath of the federal government if they improperly link to a campaign's Web site. Even forwarding a political candidate's press release to a mailing list, depending on the details, could be punished by fines.

The FEC is over stepping their bounds

This is a Direct Assault on our 1st Amendment

[Dead Corpse]

That's what we tried to get across back when a bunch of Freepers here were first making excuses for McCain, then for Bush for signing it.

No body listened to us then, I'm willing to bet there will be arse covering forthcoming. Bush/McCain screwed us on this one no matter which way its sliced.

[dirtboy]

And I've got another question - the current restrictions against electioneering from church pulpits are not enforced against black churches, which openly campaigned for Kerry last election. How can the FEC even contemplate implementing this rule when they can't even properly enforce far less broad rules that already exist? And would this rule be an opportunity for selective enforcement against political opponents, given the absolute impossibility of enforcing it against the entire internet?

[Sprite518]

I thought the so called freedom loving Republicans were against this? Why are we having to worry about this when both the houses, and the White House are under Republican control? I am going to write them, and say if this passes they can rest assure I will never vote for a Republican again. I did not vote for this type of crap.


Just as McCain Finegold this is a violation of the first Amendment.

[demlosers]

I think in principle Bush was against McPain/Feingold, but set his better judgement aside to make peace with McCrazy. Bush may have calculated that the Supreme Court would find the law unConstitutional giving him an out with McCrazy and his constituents.

[abner]

I'll be listening.

[Cold Heat]

Bush may have calculated that the Supreme Court would find the law unConstitutional

He did, as I did.

I was disappointed with the result, as he was.

Full disclosure is the only way.

[Dead Corpse]

Yes.... I remember his "Constitutional questions". I still maintain that if he had "questions" he should have gotten out his Veto stamp, that is still in the shrink wrap BTW, and sent it back. After all, he DID take the Oath of Office didn't he?

As for McCain... that gibbering idiot needs to retire. Either that or figure out which party he belongs to and stick with it.

[Eva]

My guess is that this potential move by the FEC is being pushed by Hillary to neutralize MoveOn and Independent Media Council, as well as conservative bloggers. MoveOn and Indy Media have seized too much control away from the Clintons and are threatening the triangulation that the Clintons achieved in the nineties and it is impossible for the Democrats to win without being able to fool some independents into thinking that Hillary is a moderate, and hold on to those far lefties at the same time. What to do? Destroy the internet communication system that holds the lefties together and make them return to the folds of the Clinton Democrats. At the same time, the FEC ruling would do untold damage to those grass roots efforts of the Republicans that gave Bush the win.

[Luke21]

Anything cooked up by those red twins McCain and Feingold should have been fought tooth, nail, and pitchfork.

[Major Matt Mason]

I think in principle Bush was against McPain/Feingold, but set his better judgement aside to make peace with McCrazy. Bush may have calculated that the Supreme Court would find the law unConstitutional giving him an out with McCrazy and his constituents.

This is no excuse. Bush didn't do the right thing in this situation, which is to uphold our 1st amendment rights. He instead chose political expediance in trying to assuage the has-been McCain. This decision will go down as one of the worst of Bush's tenure.