Political Bloggers Could Be Required To Register Or Face Jail Time

Information Week. ^ | January 17 2007 | Mitch Wagner

[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.

[etlib]

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.

But in this case the "members" are posting information which is read by large numbers of non-members and is attempting to influence those non-members thereby putting the association at risk.

[El Gato]

The Nat'l Rifle Assoc is one of the Libs' principal targets, and must be silenced at all costs,

The NRA is concerned about section 220. (The alert is dated 1/16/07 and the link will be to the most recent alert, but older alerts are reachable by dated links on the upper right).

Notice that they refer to SA (Senate Amendment) 3, because the whole bill as originally proposed has been substituted by an amendment, SA-3, by the original sponsor, Dingy Harry. I know it's some sort of parliamentary maneuver, but I don't understand the purpose. In any even section 220 doesn't seem to have changed.

[SAJ]

Completely agreed, Cat, m'man. Well said, too!

[Peach]

Oh yeah. We're in deep, deep trouble. It's going to be beyond ugly. I may find another hobby because I really can't stand watching all this happen. It was so unncessary.

[txhurl]

I'm not worried, really. None of this would ever prevail in court, except maybe the 9th.

I'm just stunned that RINOs are now openly voting with the Communists and Her Thighness and her FBI files.

Right of assembly is hard to override.

[Tamar1973]

Let's remind those Demonrats who they're dealing with: patriotic Americans who don't use the Constitution for toilet paper.

If your America's enemy...

[Christian4Bush]

"Your compassion is a weakness your enemies will not share. " - Ra's al Ghul

(could use this line for some of our Republican friends)

[philman_36]

With a several decades long string of very tight, evenly matched elections, it's pretty obvious the United States is divided into two antagonistic camps.
I would offer an alternative in that the United States is divided into three camps, rather than two. Two antagonistic camps (1/4 + 1/4) and a third even larger apathetic camp (1/2).

[Schnucki]

Wanna bet Hillary is driving the issue?

Or maybe mccain again.

[tiredoflaundry]

placemark

[Teacher317]

So what happens if a million people register as lobbyists? Will it shut down this entire anti free speech monstrosity?

You think a registry listing of one million bothers our beloved government? It just gives them a reason to keep expanding, which is all the CEO-mentality leaders think about. Recall that Medicare and Social Security each have to track over 300 million, and they do it without blinking an eye.

[Liz]

Too much language, too much bull$hit, too little free speech.I hate big government.

Amen.

[Arizona Carolyn]

He didn't come across very bright or very Conservative in the Katrina interviews I saw.

[Stonewall Jackson]

This is what happens when we let the lunatics run the asylum.

[sauropod]

America @ Flashpoint.

[sgtbono2002]

Lott surprises me, the rest are the usual idiots.

[sgtbono2002]

I am not surprised they are doing it, I am surprised it took then so long.

[onyx]

ME TOO, BUMP!
Thanks for the ping, AnnaZ.

[Fledermaus]

Not to worry. I'm not stupid enough to dabble in that realm.