[Jim Robinson]

"To make matters worse, the Pence bill has already been rewritten. The bill was H.R. 581 and then it became H.R. 3323. Whatever the version of the bill, the Justice Department has said that it could potentially cover "news" organizations like Al-Jazeera and protect its terrorist "sources." Even an Al-Qaeda media front could be covered, Justice says."

Some things just make you want to sit back and say, "hmmmmmm...."

[Keith in Iowa]

Them congress-critters are great, aren't they??

[Jim Robinson]

"In the House, the bill only has 63 co-sponsors. But it also has the backing of powerful news organizations, which have concealed their role in lobbying for the bill from media consumers. In the Senate, there are only 10 sponsors. But it has already received two sympathetic hearings from Senator Arlen Specter of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In both cases, Specter refused to accept in person testimony from Accuracy in Media against the bill. He doesn't want the truth about this dangerous bill to get out."

Figures.

[DoughtyOne]

Hmmmm, isn't the word I had in mind, but then it's late.

[highlander_UW]

Main Entry: jour·nal·ist Pronunciation: -n&l-ist Function: noun 1 a : a person engaged in journalism; especially : a writer or editor for a news medium b : a writer who aims at a mass audience 2 : a person who keeps a journal

So what changes do we need in order for us to be considered journalists?

[Avoiding_Sulla]

Left to talk amongst themselves without loud very noises from us and those like us, no telling how much more damage Congress will do to free speech.

The constitution gets more tattered every day.

[SpaceBar]

Does this mean I should retract all the crappy things I've said in earlier posts about the lovely and smart Hillary Clinton should she become dictator, FR server logs seized by her schutzstaffel and I end up in a concentration camp?

[DTogo]

In our recent awards ceremony honoring the Freepers...

So... what was awarded and to whom?

[Paul C. Jesup]

From the article: Whatever the version of the bill, the Justice Department has said that it could potentially cover "news" organizations like Al-Jazeera and protect its terrorist "sources." Even an Al-Qaeda media front could be covered, Justice says."

Jim Robinson: Some things just make you want to sit back and say, "hmmmmmm...."

Very true, Mr Robinson. Very true.

Question... Wouldn't supporting and protecting the journalist/propaganda arm/branch of a terrorist organization still be supporting and protecting said terrorist organization?

[MikeHu]

I don't think journalists or bloggers should be be granted any special privileges not granted to all ordinary citizens.

It was the perceived granting of special privileges that brought about the abuses of the press and journalists.

Power always corrupts those who can't handle it. Those who can handle power, don't need special privileges and rights. Those are the source of the problems in the country now -- everybody wanting special entitlements.

What the Internet did right was level the playing field -- and now those who have benefited from that, want to be treated special. Being an "ordinary citizen" should be all the rights and privileges we all need.

[Congressman Billybob]

Cliff does not seem to be aware of the recent FEC decision which held that a blog which is factually indistinguishable from FreeRepublic, was recognized as having the status of "press."

It is a near certainty that that decision will be taken first to the Court of Appeals of the D.C. Circuit. From there, it would go to the Supreme Court. I believe that the Roberts Court will accept that conclusion on First Amendment grounds. Then, FR will be covered and protected, regardless of whether this bill ever passes, or in what form.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column: "51st Way to Leave Your Lover"

[The Red Zone]

I'd say something a bit harsher than "hmmmmmmmmmm."

[blondee123]

FR is a conservative news source, not a blog. It must be, cause over half of what is posted here, ends up on Drudge as headlines 2 days later!!

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Rep. Mike Pence would be my choice for VPOTUS.

[JudgemAll]

They all know they're going to hell no matter what, so they cannot stand bearers of "bad news" who seem to make hell for them a bit earlier.

Don't we dare white bloggers teach "multiculturalists" and politicians to treat each other better, though....then again, coming to think of it, they know their false prophets of "always good news" media are about to get them too, and so they might as well go to church and try that desperately in hope of being forgiven...ah!

[FreedomPoster]

This idea that certain classes of specially-anointed citizens have more access to basic Constitutional Rights strikes me as extremely dangerous.

We've seen this for years with the 2nd Amendment, where special rights accrue to police, politicians, and the politically connected.

Now we're seeing it with the 1st.

It's time to really, really push back.

[alnick]

As it stands right now, "journalists" can fabricate anything they want, cite anonymous sources, and run with it. What more do they want?

[McGavin999]

I don't know why they need another law. This is covered by the first amenment, and if bloggers aren't covered, then why should "journalists" be covered?

[MarkL]

This sort of law is incredibly dangerous.

It provides protection for "approved" news outlets. The only protection should be supported by the First Amendment, and that protection should be absolute. Of course, that's no longer the case, given the McCain/Feingold CFR debacle. Since the SCOTUS decision, we've seen the First Amendment uphold any sort of expression EXCEPT political speech!

Between laws like this one, and the ones already passed, we are moving towards a government approved, corporate media news system. Especially in the last news cycle, the "New Media" became the outlet of "everyman," sort of like "Common Sense." Neither the "old media" nor those elected and holding office are particularly pleased with those results, as they can't control the news.

And they find that extremely disturbing.

Mark

[montag813]

Rep. Mike Pence, the main sponsor of the bill in the House, says some bloggers will be covered, but only those involved in "gathering news." He says those covered by the bill would have to be evaluated on a "blog-by-blog basis."

Who the f**k is Mike Pence to determine this? So much for the inane "Pence for President" threads. He is a schmuck for this statement alone.

[sono]

They can pry my keyboard from my cold dead hands.