Posted on 09/22/2022 12:57:55 PM PDT by karpov
President Joe Biden's latest anti–free speech crusade would require groups that run political ads to dox donors. Biden is backing the Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections (DISCLOSE) Act, which senators are expected to vote today on whether to take up.
"Right now, advocacy groups can run ads on issues attacking or supporting a candidate right until Election Day without exposing who's paying for that ad," Biden said on Tuesday. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D–N.Y.) called the DISCLOSE Act "critical to fighting the cancer of dark money in our elections."
But many see the measure as a way to interfere in free speech and intimidate people who would otherwise donate to advocacy groups.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce called it "blatantly political and ultimately unconstitutional legislation."
"The DISCLOSE Act's fundamental purpose is to enable cancel culture and the intimidation of Americans exercising their right to free speech through political giving and campaign contributions," writes Scott Parkinson of the Club for Growth.
I think Parkinson is right. When it comes to ads or other public campaigns concerning political issues, those on the opposite side are free to counter their content and ideas in the public square without knowing who donated to the groups behind the ads. But if the donors are known, it allows people to pressure them not to donate. It also allows for smear campaigns against political positions based who supports them, instead of the content of their messages or proposals. It seems designed to detract from actually informing voters, allowing for the battle over bills and issues to be played out instead in a guilt-by-association manner.
The DISCLOSE Act (S.443) is sponsored by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D–R.I.) and includes all sorts of provisions related to campaign communications and election-related spending.
(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...
“You can support the Democrat Party, or you can go to prison. The choice is yours.”
If enforced equally, I have no problem.
The problem is that it wouldn’t be equally enforced.
The DISCLOSE Act (S.443) is sponsored by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D–R.I.)
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This is the senator who wanted to *criminalize* anyone who spoke against the madness of climate change.
Exactly, Dems have a powerhouse of researchers, Anitfa, radical violent people who will dox, intimidate, harass the Republican donors.
you’re right, because democrats don’t care about the law. They figure out how to go around it without getting caught. And if they do get caught they rely on democrat AGs to let them off the hook, or scream what difference does it make when they are pulled in front of an inquiry.
Conservatives are more vulnerable even if the law was applied evenly.
Wouldn’t this work both ways?
agreed
No. See post # 4. Fai Mao nailed it.
Aunt Teefah is the old Al Qaeda rebranded.
The Left has already figured out its’ loopholes, or they wouldn’t be proposing this.
I’m sure George Soros would get doxxed. /s
Hmmmmm.
Pass in tandem with companion legislation permitting me to confront them with force of arms if they step onto my property, I think I might actually be OK with that.
You gonna allow the action, you gotta allow the reaction.
Republicans generally aren’t the violent mob that rats are.
That’s ridiculous. Every TV ad I see tells you in tiny print who bought the ad. All you have to do is Google the group paying for it and you’ll see exactly who is behind it. I guess that’s too much work for a brain dead liberal to have to do. The Dumbing Down of America apparently continues. 😖
His donor list will be very short. George Soros, Mort Zuckerberg, and other crony capitalists.
Good luck owning property.....just watch everyone who donates to anything other commie causes get fired, we can live on the streets with the heroin addicts.
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