Posted on 01/17/2007 7:36:04 PM PST by jmc1969
An outfit called GrassRootsFreedom.com is reporting that the U.S. Senate is considering legislation that would require political bloggers with readership over 500 to register as lobbyists. If they fail to register, they could face criminal penalties up to one year in jail.
"Section 220 of S. 1, the lobbying reform bill currently before the Senate, would require grassroots causes, even bloggers, who communicate to 500 or more members of the public on policy matters, to register and report quarterly to Congress the same as the big K Street lobbyists.
(Excerpt) Read more at informationweek.com ...
It'll pass, with a bunch of just as bad or worse stuff tacked on as amendments. There's more than enough RINOs in both Houses to ensure passage even if their are a few 'Rat defections. Getting signed by the President and/or passed over a veto is more doubtful, but that's what I thought about CFR too. Ditto for the Supreme Court striking it down.
This needs to be made big. We'll ping everybody.
Not that you're not sharp enough to do so, not at all. The problem is that, history aside, just right now TOO MANY different things might happen.
The other way to say this is that, when trading energies just now, the trader has no measurable or definable advantage.
I **DO** rather like your investment in assorted weapons and ammunition -- if I may quote the old judges on YGI! -- ''Looks good from here, Bob!''
<<<--- couldn't resist (and now we've got the rest of FR wondering what this is, eh? ) < evil grin >
Really great to see you again, m'friend!
Democratic Underground has almost the same fundraising mechanics as FR.
Check this out.
RINOs most likely (without looking at the list) or Republicans who have FBI files sitting on the Clinton's hard drive.
Five Republicans.
Trent Lott was YEA on this vote!!
Registering Your Voice?
Stop Congress From Silencing You!
Call Your U. S. Senator Today!
This week - perhaps even tomorrow - the U.S. Senate is taking up legislation that could stifle gun owners' voices in the legislative process.
To ensure gun owners remain able to speak out in support of our Second Amendment rights, during debate this week on S.A. 3, the "Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act", Senators Robert Bennett (R-Utah) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will offer an amendment to strike Sec. 220-the section that would force countless groups of ordinary citizens to register with the federal government as "lobbyists," with all the attendant restrictions, costs, and penalties.
The First Amendment protects an unqualified "right of the people . to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." One of NRA's greatest strength is our members' ability to fully use the First Amendment to protect the Second Amendment. But Sec. 220 would, for the first time in American history, regulate "the voluntary efforts of members of the general public to communicate their own views on an issue to Federal officials." Among its everyday adverse effects would be the following:
* Organizations answering mail, e-mail, or telephone calls from people who may or may not be members would have to either verify each person's status as a paying "member" as defined in Section 220, or refrain from urging those people to call Congress about legislative issues. Of course, every day, NRA engages in these types of activities with members and non-members alike.
* Organizations would have to screen e-mail subscriptions to exclude subscribers who are not paying members or else report all e-mail alerts as "paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying." This would have a severe impact on the Friday NRA-ILA Grassroots Alert - and on Special Alerts like this one.
Sec. 220 would also do a great disservice by increasing the power of the anti-gun media to the detriment of the people. For example, a privately-owned newspaper could run editorials every day advocating drastic restrictions on Second Amendment liberties-without being subject to any reporting requirements. However, if a staff member of a pro-gun organization, such as NRA, writes a letter to the editor of that newspaper that expresses an opposing view and urges readers to call their senators, that letter would be a "paid effort to stimulate grassroots lobbying." The organization would have to report the cost of the staffer's salary for writing and submitting the letter. This requirement would apply even if the newspaper never publishes the letter, since it is still a "paid attempt . to influence the general public." (Emphasis added)
Similarly, if the grassroots organization pays an advertising agency to create and place a newspaper ad in the same newspaper, the advertising agency would have to register as a "grassroots lobbying firm" within 45 days of being retained and report costs of the communication-even if the ad never runs! The registration requirement would signal the group's plans to opponents, and constitute a prior restraint on free speech, contrary to principles of the First Amendment.
Violations of any of these complex, technical provisions could be punishable by massive civil penalties and felony prison terms under the substitute bill that the Senate will consider. Ultimately, Sec. 220 would force so many organizations to report so many activities that the information would become useless. It would simply be impossible for interested observers to sort the wheat from the chaff.
The First Amendment protects the "right of the people"-not the "right of people who can afford teams of lawyers, accountants, and disclosure specialists." Because the ability of grassroots organizations to communicate with the public is so central to the First Amendment and our ability to protect the Second Amendment, we urge you to contact your U.S. Senators immediately and urge them to support the Bennett-McConnell Amendment (#20) to strike Section 220 in the "Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act." You can reach your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121. You may also e-mail your Senators by clicking here: http://www.capwiz.com/nra/dbq/officials/.
Once you have contacted your two U.S. Senators, please urge your family, friends, and fellow firearm owners to do the same!
Lott is an idiot. Full blown.
William Jefferson likes his cash cold.
"Progressive" being the euphemism for "Socialist" which more often than not is a euphemism for "Communist".
In today's reality, I see the Senate as 55-45 now. We are so screwed.
Under the prior section (A) which you omitted, "Paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying" is defined as "any PAID attempt in support of lobbying contacts on behalf of a client to influence the general public or segments thereof
There is this:
(i) pays dues or makes a contribution of more than a nominal amount to the entity;
(ii) makes a contribution of more than a nominal amount of time to the entity;
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Tar and feathers was a popular methodology in Colonial times and in the early years of the Republic.
Of course if all else fails, the Founding Fathers provided a "Reset Button" (see tagline).
But being a member is a good thing. As I read it, being a member allows the association to send information to me (or request I call my Congressman) without the association having to register under the stupid law.
Ironic that sending out this very request to non-members would be ILLEGAL if this stupid law is passed unless the NRA registers as a lobbying firm.
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