Freeing free speech

Washington Times ^ | March 29, 2006 | Editorial

[Jim Robinson]

"Tread lightly" was our advice to the Federal Election Commission last year regarding government interference with the Internet. And so it has. In an unanimous decision Monday, the FEC voted to save most Internet speech from campaign-finance regulations. This is welcome news, if also expected.

The truth is that the FEC never wanted to touch the Internet to begin with, but was forced by a Clinton-appointed judge, who said the Internet was not exempt from the 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign-finance reform act. Her decision elicited harsh and deserved outrage from both the left and right wings of the blogosphere -- two realms of society that rarely agree. The FEC responded with a 96-page proposal that "recognizes the Internet as a unique and evolving mode of mass communication and political speech that is distinct from other media in a manner that warrants a restrained regulatory approach." In layman's terms what this means is that bloggers and other online political sites are given the "media exemption" that allows newspapers like this one to criticize politicians with no strings attached.

Had the commissioners decided instead to tread heavily, there's a whole range of nightmarish scenarios. One likely result would have been an end to the days when anyone with a modem and a point of view could take his musings online essentially free of charge. The only entities that would be able to afford navigating the regulatory swamp would have been corporations and multimillionaires -- ironically, the same entities the regulation crowd loves to hate.

Unfortunately, the regulationists refuse to go away. Sens. John McCain and Russ Feingold are pushing to include the Internet under the umbrella of their anti-free-speech legislation, and they have allies in the House...

[dandelion]

You never sleep, do you? ;)

I suppose you are just practicing eternal vigilance. Thank you for keeping us all posted!

[A Jovial Cad]

Free speech annoys those in power, and long has. Which is exactly why the McCain/Feingold law is a darling of the political & media class that hovers around Washington.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Nite Jim...thanks for this.

Be ever vigilant, everyone.

[smoothsailing]

What is it with McCain and Feingold? Why do both of them have such great fear of free speech?

[Lancey Howard]

The FEC .... "recognizes the Internet as a unique and evolving mode of mass communication and political speech that.... warrants a restrained regulatory approach.... "Unfortunately, the regulationists refuse to go away. Sens. John McCain and Russ Feingold are pushing to include the Internet under the umbrella of their anti-free-speech legislation, and they have allies in the House....

All it will take is another scumbag Clinton judge to blow the FEC, and all of us, out of the water.

[decal]

"Why do both of them have such great fear of free speech?"

Don't know about Sen. Feingold but I suspect Sen. McCain is worried about his chances of re-election in 2010.

[Lancey Howard]

Free speech annoys those in power, and long has. Which is exactly why the McCain/Feingold law is a darling of the political & media class that hovers around Washington.

It's more than an annoyance - - it is no less than a matter of their survival. The incumbent politicos want to STAY incumbent, and the dying newspapers and network news organizations want to kill their one of their main competitors. They are working together, never forget that. We truly have our work cut out for us.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Sounds like they have some mighty big skeletons in their closets, doesn't it?

[A message]

Why do both of them have such great fear of free speech?

Because they covet power and freedom threatens their lust.

[smoothsailing]

Man, that's something, McCain wants to control internet use so he can be re-elected in 2010.

So he's covering his bases for when the Clinton/McCain ticket fails in '08. Nervous little man, isn't he?

[SUSSA]

What is it with McCain and Feingold? Why do both of them have such great fear of free speech?

###

McCain has loads of skeletons in his closet. He knows the Vietnam vets are going to Swift Boat him like they did in a very small way in South Carolina in 2000. He also knows he has a problem with soccer moms when it gets out that he left his wife after she was crippled in a car accident and to make it worse, he married a sleazy junky who stole her drugs from a clinic that helped poor people.

He can keep things contained in the MSM. He can’t suppress the truth with a free internet.

[Ronin]

If there was ever any doubt in my mind that McCain is a dangerous bastard who needs to be watched and quarantined before he can do irrevocable harm, it's gone now.

[xzins]

Controlling any speech on line is no different than forcing me to shut my mouth through gov't edict. This little post is nothing more than my opinion, written instead of spoken.

And, if I feel like hanging a sign around my neck that says, "Vote for Jim," because Jim gives me a dollar to wear it, then that's my business. I don't need the Fed to tell me I can't put a paid ad on my website.

And if I feel like writing a handful of letters on my contempt for John Kerry, and then I send them to my many contacts, then that, too, is my business. I don't need Big Brother telling me I can't email my political opinions to 500 friends, but not to 501.

John McCain is a political socialist demagogue who's signed onto a few conservative hot button issues just for popular support.

[manwiththehands]

Thanks, Jim. But when our most basic and fundamental rights have been violated before we shouldn't feel "thankful" they were not violated again.

Maybe this would be a good opportunity to use the momentum to at least try to reverse/repeal McCain-Feingold and any and all government restrictions of political free speech.

[libstripper]

This is probably why the MSM wants him as the Pubbie nominee for '08. Once he gets the nomination he can be destroyed, electing the Witch.

[tonithatcher]

Controlling any speech on line is no different than forcing me to shut my mouth through gov't edict. This little post is nothing more than my opinion, written instead of spoken.

And, if I feel like hanging a sign around my neck that says, "Vote for Jim," because Jim gives me a dollar to wear it, then that's my business. I don't need the Fed to tell me I can't put a paid ad on my website.

And if I feel like writing a handful of letters on my contempt for John Kerry, and then I send them to my many contacts, then that, too, is my business. I don't need Big Brother telling me I can't email my political opinions to 500 friends, but not to 501.

John McCain is a political socialist demagogue who's signed onto a few conservative hot button issues just for popular support.

The mass media is attacking the internet through these attempts. The internet is completely unlike the mass media, no one is forced to stay on any page, and anyone can make their own page. There is no 'captured audience', only equal interaction.

[neverdem]

bump & a ping!

Will Congress Ditch John McCain's Internet Regulations? -- Vote coming soon...

[vigilante2]

What is it with McCain and Feingold? Why do both of them have such great fear of free speech?

Mc Cain must be suffering some kind of mental disorder brought on by years of captivity

[tillacum]

Jim, you are a wonder. Thank you for leading us.