Senate Panel OKs Measure Defining a Journalist

breitbart.com ^ | 9/12/13 | ap

[ColdOne]

The vote was 13-5 for a compromise defining a "covered journalist" as an employee, independent contractor or agent of an entity that disseminates news or information. The individual would have been employed for one year within the last 20 or three months within the last five years.

It would apply to student journalists or someone with a considerable amount of freelance work in the last five years. A federal judge also would have the discretion to declare an individual a "covered journalist," who would be granted the privileges of the law.

[Biggirl]

.....To a revolt.

[Biggirl]

.....And the next step to a revolt

[ReformationFan]

We’re getting more like the former Soviet Union with each passing moment. I miss my country. I miss true liberty.

[JimSEA]

It will be used against opponents of the government. I could post, “I have reason the believe the NSA is collecting data on conservatives.” If I understand this law, I could be forced to reveal my sources, if any.

[Drango]

Horse do-do.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Right now we have an Administration, Congress and Judicial Branch that doesn’t obey the Constitution. Never mind the 17th Amendment. Right now I’d settle for the correct application of the first 16.

[redgolum]

This is to shut down blogs and other internet sources.

No freedom of the press if you are not the press. Seems the bill of rights only applies to those the Fedgov wants it to.

[wastedyears]

You seriously cannot be serious. You really think our government has good intentions in doing this? I truly wish I was as optimistic as you.

[ConservativeInPA]

Was Thomas Paine a journalist? Ben Franklin?

[no-to-illegals]

When opinions are outlawed ... only outlaws will have opinions.

[Arthur McGowan]

This is absurd for two reasons:

The Constitution speaks of “freedom of the press,” not “journalists.”

The Constitution guarantees “freedom of SPEECH.” Anyone who can talk or write is protected by the First Amendment.

[dfwgator]

We demand laws to fight against deliberate political lies and their dissemination
by the press. In order to make it possible to create a German press, we demand:
a) all editors and editorial employees of newspapers appearing in the German
language must be German by race;
b) non-German newspapers require express permission from the State for
their publication. They may not be printed in the German language;
c) any financial participation in a German newspaper or influence on such a
paper is to be forbidden by law to non-Germans and the penalty for any
breech of this law will be the closing of the newspaper in question, as well
as the immediate expulsion from the Reich of the non-Germans involved.
Newspapers which violate the public interest are to be banned. We
demand laws against trends in art and literature which have a destructive
effect on our national life, and the suppression of performances that offend
against the above requirements.

Nazi Party Platform 1920

[GeronL]

absurd.

and employed 3 months in 5 years?

weird

[VideoDoctor]

The FOOLS are busy REDEFINING everything so as to justify their existence in terms of usefulness. They actually think this is important.

Is America screwed or what? Geez!

[butterdezillion]

Well-stated. Thank you for that.

[onyx]

THIS IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS OUTLAWING ALL BUT STATE-SUPPORTED OPINION.

- - - - -

BUMP

[LTC.Ret]

The Founders considered Freedom of the Press so important that they codified it in the very 1st Amendment to our Constitution. The press is supposed to remain unbiased, as much as is humanly possible, and keep our government transparent by reporting what the government is actually doing.

“The freedom of the press is one of the greatest bulwarks of liberty and can never be restrained but by despotic governments.” - George Mason, Virginia Declaration of Rights, 1776.

OK, so the government makes a mess for itself and got caught:
“[T]he Justice Department had secretly subpoenaed almost two months of telephone records for 21 phone lines used by reporters and editors for The Associated Press and secretly used a warrant to obtain some emails of a Fox News journalist.”

Then the government decides to “fix” the mess they made:
“The Judiciary Committee’s action cleared the way for approval of . . . media shield legislation designed to protect reporters and the news media from having to reveal their sources.”

And what they end up doing is legally “defining” a “journalist” -— a “definition” that will allow the government to license and regulate “bona fide journalists” -— and what the government can license and regulate they can control.

So what will the government do with their new-found power to grant only certain select people the right to freedom of the press, create a “protected class” of favored media, and silence dissent by non-government-sanctioned “journalists”???

[Kickass Conservative]

Wait until they redefine what a “CITIZEN” is.

[Jacquerie]

From your last link:

We can save the Republic, but someone has to start the ball rolling. If not you … then who?

Mark shamed me into action last month. I meet with my state representative next week. His copy of the Liberty Amendments arrived yesterday. Gotta start somewhere.

[magellan]

What part of “Congress shall make no law” do they not understand?