Posted on 03/20/2006 2:44:50 AM PST by RWR8189
This might be the first time Freepers and Kossacks have agreed on anything. From the conservative website Free Republic to the liberal Daily Kos, Internet users of all ideologies are uniting in opposition to federal regulation of political blogs.
As early as this afternoon, the Federal Election Commission will publish regulations that, for the first time, could put limits on what bloggers can do and say in support of political candidates.
The FEC is trying to define the line between offering political opinions and operating as part of a political campaign. The full commission is expected to vote Thursday on the regulations.
Meanwhile, Congress is considering two separate bills aimed at a similar goal: clarifying the role of bloggers in delivering political messages and using the Internet as a fundraising tool.
At issue is the growing power of the Internet, which has allowed activists to promote candidates and raise money for them without the kind of rules that long have governed similar activities by political parties, individual campaigns and traditional contributors.
The Internet has been exempt from campaign finance regulations. Last year, however, a federal court ruled that the Internet could no longer be excluded.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Surely, there are enough differences of opinion on FR to exclude it as being "part of a political campaign."
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
There are laws and there are regulations. Some laws are bad enough, but when you get bureaucrats arrogantly interpreting those laws into regulations. you have government run amuck. They make up half assed regulations and no one is held responsible.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
I triple dog dare them !!
LOL
You would think that because of McCain-Finegold that it would put John McCain pretty much out of the race for president.
Funny how silent the ACLU is when it comes to defending the freedom of speech.
If the government were stupid enough to do this, and they might, you would see anonymous emails appear as a replacement. It would be the 21st Century version of the Pamphleteers.
I find it amazing that the MSM can be immune to all this, passing judgement on blogs and forums. Why should Tim Russert get to practice freedom of the press, but not Jim Robinson?
Who gets to define who is a journalist or not, a news organization or not? Because if you ask me, 90% of the MSM are paid hacks for the DNC. Call them a vast left wing conspiracy and a political organization.
Freedom of the press for Free Republic!
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
...Free Republic outside the United States"...heck, we'll launch a satellite with servers!!!
They would make anon email illegal in the next 30 seconds.
A new agency would be created to enforce that, and new taxes would be enacted to make you pay for it.
Sure they can. Without the name registered... well, that would be just a start for them.
We need to be circumspect, here. Like it or not, due to McCain-Feingold, the limits are coming. The IRS enacted regulations at least a year ago to limit what churches could do during political campaigns and what could be said in either chirch bulletins or from the pulpit.
If you feel strongly enough about it, start letting your Congresscritter know. But, remember, that the Congresscritters ignored the public when it came to passing or voting down CFR. Bush, acknowledging that it was unConstitutional, signed it anyway. The SCOTUS failed to address the Constitutional issues surrounding CFR and refused to hear the case. Freedom, the Constitution, and the voters lost big on this issue.
Think they can't clamp down on what can be said on a blog?? Think again; we've already lost that battle and we have no friends in high places willing to overturn this dreck of law.
Word of advice - ANYTIME that Congresscritters favor a bill relating to something that is NOT on the American public's radar (such as Campaign Finance Reform; aka McCain-Feingold), be VERY wary and VERY afraid. CFR has shown them all how to shut down our Constitutional rights - they did it under our noses and we let them.
They'll do it again.
FReepers did it for free!
We should also remember all who voted for it, who signed it into law, then those who refused to consider it against the Constitution.
All three branches of government screwed America with CFR.
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