Posted on 02/11/2015 10:07:18 AM PST by Jim Robinson
The internet is under assault. At the Federal Communications Commission, regulators are hard at work crafting a plan that would turn the internet into a taxable utility. In Congress, lawmakers are determining whether and how best to tax the sales that occur on the internet. And over at the Federal Election Commission, the regulation of political speech that takes place on the internet is back on the table.
In October, then FEC Vice Chairwoman Ann M. Ravel promised that she would renew a push to regulate online political speech following a deadlocked commission vote that would have subjected political videos and blog posts to the reporting and disclosure requirements placed on political advertisers who broadcast on television. On Wednesday, she will begin to make good on that promise.
“Some of my colleagues seem to believe that the same political message that would require disclosure if run on television should be categorically exempt from the same requirements when placed in the Internet alone,”...
~~snip~~
Under a 2006 FEC rule, free political videos and advocacy sites have been free of regulation in a bid to boost voter participation in politics. Only Internet videos that are placed for a fee on websites, such as the Washington Examiner, are regulated just like normal TV ads.Ravel’s statement suggests that she would regulate right-leaning groups like America Rising that posts anti-Democrat YouTube videos on its website.
FEC Chairman Lee E. Goodman, a Republican, said if regulation extends that far, then anybody who writes a political blog, runs a politically active news site or even chat room could be regulated. He added that funny internet campaigns like “Obama Girl,” and “Jib Jab” would also face regulations.
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
Notice that the push to control the population before the 2016 election is accelerating rapidly. What do they see out there? What do they fear? Will there be a civil war? A full-blown economic collapse? Or maybe both?
How about the FCC start enforcing the rules regarding ethics in broadcast news? Those pesky rules regarding bias and slanting of news coverage which are on the FCC’s own webpage. Republicans should push for a rule change requiring all public broadcasters create ethics policies regarding news coverage, make them available to the public, and have all broadcast news perso ell and reporters take ethics in journalism training classes. Those who don’t comply should have their broadcast license revoked.
If a naked titty shown on public television results in a fine for indecency, why are lies and bias allowed? Why is Nightline news allowed to run totally bias programs that are heavily slanted and don’t conform to journalistic ethics standards?
Tired of the slant and bias in the news? It’s time to act. Public broadcasters operate on behalf of the public they are supposed to serve. Bias interferes with that duty and constitutes a violation of FCC rules. The FCC, whether you like it or not, is supposed to serve as a watchdog over the public communication space. It’s time they start doing their job and stop operating on behalf of interests that don’t represent the public good.
Just shut the FEC down. The entire effort is a direct violation of the first amendment.
These are signs that Obama plans to run again
the FCC THIEF that came out with a statement essentially just said that ‘free enterprise can’t be trusted because they have their own self interest in mind over the interests of it’s users’ Really? And our government, seeing the potential to steal hundreds of billions of dollars from people by charging them user fees, fines, and surcharges doesn’t have their own self interest in mind?
Federal Election Commission Chairman Ann Ravel enjoyed a $160-a-day rental car paid for by the California Political Attorney Association while she attended a seminar in Squaw Valley, California
considering the lack of competition and historic corruption of telecoms, how do you think that would work? Free market approach would correct some of it but the issue is lack of competition. For the free market to be effective, we need both ethics, competition, and transparency.
I really wish republicans would take up the torch of ethics and bring it back into our culture. The entire concept of ethics seems to be foreign in our current culture. It used to be that outrageous profits and shady business practices were shamed and looked down on. Now it’s rewarded and the quest for profit by any means is the norm.
I don’t expect people to suddenly become honest, but I would like to see a revival of ethics. While some may dismiss it, the popularity of the Gamergate hashtag campaign proves that ethics resonates across party lines. If republicans want to bring in new people, take on an idea that appeals across party lines. Make ethics central to the party platform and absolutely obliterate any in the party who doesn’t conform to ethical standards.
I know it’s a pipe dream, but I can still dream and still push our leaders to adopt standards of honesty. We got where we are now because the good stopped fighting and the bad won by default.
Federal Elections Commission (FEC), ie, the commission charged with the task of ensuring a maximum number of corrupt statist socialists get elected.
ehtics for the disinfotainment media??
fat chance
“Dems on FEC open to new regs on donors, Internet”....
Claiming that thousands of public comments condemning “dark money” in politics can’t be ignored, the Democrat-chaired Federal Election Commission on Wednesday appeared ready to open the door to new regulations on donors, bloggers and others who use the Internet to influence policy and campaigns.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/dems-on-fec-open-to-new-regs-on-donors-internet/article/2560099
no mention of George SOROS or any of his funded network of propaganda
If only the Republican Party had a majority in both houses of congress, they could Abolish the FCC or severely restrict them today!. Just a simple Majority is all it takes.
These are signs that Obama plans to run again
***
Run? The Emperor don’t need no steenkin’ election. Look for a Reichstag Fire before 2016.
Not gonna happen.
He’s bored to tears already after 6 yrs.
He and Mooch are gonna flow a billion $$ in the Obama Foundation from POTUS pardons in Jan 2017 and sail off into a life as potentates.
Contact: Judith Ingram Julia Queen Christian Hilland
February 10, 2015
PDF .pdf version of this news release
FEC Public Hearing on the McCutcheon v. FEC Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, February 11, 2015
WASHINGTON – The Federal Election Commission will hold a hearing on Wednesday, February 11, 2015, to hear public comment on a potential rulemaking to revise regulations in light of certain language from the Supreme Court’s April 2014 decision in McCutcheon, et al. v. FEC. The hearing will begin at 8:15 a.m. with welcoming remarks from Chair Ann M. Ravel and Vice Chairman Matthew S. Petersen.
More than 30 witnesses are scheduled to testify at the hearing, which will be held at the Commission office at 999 E Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C. Below is the schedule:
Schedule of Witnesses (revised as of February 10)
8:15 – 8:30
Welcome by the Chair and Vice Chairman
Panel #1
8:30 – 9:30
Karen Getman
Elisabeth MacNamara (League of Women Voters)
Michael Malbin (Campaign Finance Institute)
John Phillippe Jr. (Republican National Committee)
Donald Simon (Democracy 21)
Bradley Smith (Center for Competitive Politics)
Panel #2
9:30 – 10:45
Richard Briffault
Bruce Cain
Craig Holman (Public Citizen)
Mark Schmitt (New America Foundation)
Zephyr Teachout
Donald McGahn (Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, Freedom Partners Action Fund)
Robert Bauer
Individual Witness Testimony
10:45 – 12:30
Perianne Boring (Chamber of Digital Commerce)
Rachel Brewer
Glenn Conway
Susan Grogan
Jonathan Holtzman
Terrence Thrweatt
Matthew Walchuck
Sai (Make Your Laws PAC)
Testimony from Members of the Public
12:30 – 1:00
Lunch/Break
Panel #3
1:00 – 2:00
James Bopp, Jr. (James Madison Center for Free Speech, ProtectMarriage.com)
Jay Costa (CounterPAC)
David Mason
Hans von Spakovsky
Paul Ryan (Campaign Legal Center)
Daniel Weiner (Brennan Center for Justice)
Panel #4
2:00 – 3:00
Lisa Gilbert (Public Citizen)
Shaun McCutcheon (Coolidge-Reagan Foundation)
Stephen Spaulding (Common Cause)
Dan Backer (Conservative Action Fund)
Brian Svoboda (Perkins Coie LLP)
Panel #5
3:00 – 4:00
Heidi Abegg (Our Generation)
Norm Singleton (Campaign for Liberty)
Andrew Langer (Institute for Liberty)
Jeremiah Morgan (Free Speech Coalition, Free Speech Defense and Education Fund, U.S. Justice Foundation)
Daniel Smith (US PIRG)
David Williams (Taxpayers Protection Alliance)
Individual Witness Testimony
4:00 – TBD
Linda McGregor
Adekunle Iroko
Testimony from Members of the Public
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent regulatory agency that administers and enforces federal campaign finance laws. The FEC has jurisdiction over the financing of campaigns for the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, the Presidency and the Vice Presidency. Established in 1975, the FEC is composed of six Commissioners who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
http://www.fec.gov/press/press2015/news_releases/20150210release.shtml
Perkins-Coie is in there.
Where’s the comments link for this?
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