Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

FREEPERS - HEADS UP!!! > Federal Election Commission says Web Blogs might be a threat to democracy
Fox News Channel ^ | June 29, 2005

Posted on 06/29/2005 1:46:27 PM PDT by AWestCoaster

The Federal Election Commission says Web blogs just might be a threat to democracy and it's considering whether to police them.

The issue, being discussed during FEC hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday, is whether some Web sites actually provide unregulated benefits to specific political campaigns. The famously free-spirited Web community is fighting back.....

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: blog; democracy; fec; internet; weblogs
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 121-136 next last
To: AWestCoaster

I'm not going to say how I feel about the FEC...the things I would say would probably make even a german sick. I wouldn't be surprised if the South rose again at this injustice...and the Northwest as well. These liberal hippies are all getting on every decent conservative person's last nerve...after the stupid Fifth Amendment Violation.

Just another loss of freedom by the oh-so-beloved Clintons. Oh, Supreme Court Justice Souter may get his home bulldozed by Eminent Domain. Oh, maybe the Clintons will get their house bulldozed by eminent domain too. I say we bulldoze any house that the FEC resides in...maybe the Supreme Court too.

Stupid FEC and Stupid SCOTUS...I'm ranging mad.


61 posted on 06/29/2005 3:16:05 PM PDT by benjibrowder (This is a tagline virus. Please help me spread by copying this and making it your tagline.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AWestCoaster
The tyrants are in full assault mode and the sheeple are still asleep.


62 posted on 06/29/2005 3:23:57 PM PDT by unixfox (AMERICA - 20 Million ILLEGALS Can't Be Wrong!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: savedbygrace

Yes, but could we really elect officials who would?
Who after all counts the votes... the powers that be.

I said it before and I say it again...

an FEC poweful enough to regulate speech offensive to us, say like howard stern, is powerful AND corrupted enough to regulate OUR speech if it offends them or makes their base of power feel threatened.

and despite howls of protest from our true friends on the Christian right, there is no practical way to shoot at janet's nipple, or sterns mouth, and not hit ourselves in the blogosphere. it's tit for tat... pun intended.

there's just too much threat to the government powers that be, in the blogosphere, whenever we discuss what we hear, see or KNOW they are doing behind our backs in a public venue.

the government cannot tolerate whispers, let alone megaphones. And this is coming about on our 'conservative majority' watch... proving that the libertarians and democrats are in some degree, right about us.

we conservatives, apparently want a nanny state to watch what every body ELSE says or does that offends US... but are HORRIFIED to see that the beast we built to do that... is turning to rend us asunder.

this is a very very dangerous time.
=free speech
=gun rights
=property rights
=illegal invasion on steroids

all issues that have arisen during our 'conservative' watch.


63 posted on 06/29/2005 3:31:56 PM PDT by Robert_Paulson2 (Get your brand new 'penumbra and emanation' scopes while they are hot, two for fifty cents!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: benjibrowder

yeah ,... I'd love to stay at a beautiful hotel on the site where The Supreme Court stood , "hello , Room Service?? ,, send up a Surf & Turf , please , yeah , we're big tipperzzz!!"


64 posted on 06/29/2005 3:32:29 PM PDT by Dad yer funny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: AWestCoaster

The government will never censor/police the web blogs, the 1st ammendment guarantees this.


65 posted on 06/29/2005 3:33:41 PM PDT by moose2004 (You Can Run But You Can't Hide!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AWestCoaster
Web blogs just might be a threat to democracy

Blogs are democracy.

66 posted on 06/29/2005 3:43:41 PM PDT by Constitutionalist Conservative (Have you visited http://c-pol.blogspot.com?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Robert_Paulson2

Are you confusing the FEC with the FCC?


67 posted on 06/29/2005 3:44:38 PM PDT by savedbygrace ("No Monday morning quarterback has ever led a team to victory" GW Bush)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: madison10
"The threat is the FEC. Is that an acronym for the Fascist Election Council? Just askin'."

Fecal Excrement Committee. :)
68 posted on 06/29/2005 3:49:06 PM PDT by Adiemus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: moose2004
You are joking, right?
69 posted on 06/29/2005 3:50:56 PM PDT by thoughtomator (The legislative process is like the digestive process, same end product)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: BallyBill

"Define irony - bunch of idiots dancing on a plane to a song made famous by a band that died in a plane crash." - Steve Cuscemi "Con Air"


70 posted on 06/29/2005 3:53:00 PM PDT by sono
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: savedbygrace

no...
the FEC and the FCC are both branches of the executive... run by our team.

and they are regulated and financed by the congress... also run by our team.

and their actions are adjudicated by the judicial branch... we we are supposedly the majority of... which apparently this week had no problem with seizing property rights (rush and the cons. talk circuit are still buzzing about it.)

the point being that laws are being originated, enforced and adjudicated by an increasingly powerful central state, that is bent on inserting itself into every avenue of our lives and freedoms.

and it is all happening on OUR watch.
The powers of the executive branch are too broad.

and when they take away the right to post on blogs, or regulate it (which is what they do first) for our safety, or for political reasons...

some folks say... they have gone to far in using the power they have.
I say the power they have and are using, as we speak is beyond what the constitution allows in the aforementioned areas to name just a few....


and regardless of the department of the executive branch that the expansion of power is coming under, it is all happening with OUR president, and OUR conservative controlled congress at the helm.

and regulating speech on the internet political blogs, make NO mistake about it, is wrong, illegal and happening under our auspices... conservatives, republicans.

The danger of letting branches of the executive have this kind and quantity of power, actually should be apparent to you... without any explanation.

Unless of course, you are one of those that DO want them to regulate some things that YOU don't approve of... which is the basis for buidling ever more powerful laws and organs for controlling the first amendment rights... of everyone.

Eventually, YOU and ME...
and this very website.

Happy federalism to ya!


71 posted on 06/29/2005 3:55:34 PM PDT by Robert_Paulson2 (Get your brand new 'penumbra and emanation' scopes while they are hot, two for fifty cents!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]

To: AWestCoaster

Posting messages about news stories and donating money to the campaign of your choice is a threat to democracy?


72 posted on 06/29/2005 4:02:04 PM PDT by grizzly84
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: doug from upland

I agree.

(and she'll say that her evangelist husband heard from God to do this).:)


73 posted on 06/29/2005 4:03:53 PM PDT by presently no screen name
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: AWestCoaster

speaking of threats to Democracy, Ted Kennedy must be on his 6th Bombay Gin/Tonic by now.


74 posted on 06/29/2005 4:04:41 PM PDT by jw777
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: benjibrowder
Oh, Supreme Court Justice Souter may get his home bulldozed by Eminent Domain.



I am anxiously waiting to see how this plays out.
75 posted on 06/29/2005 4:07:45 PM PDT by presently no screen name
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: doug from upland

bank on it.

and I will go one step further.

I think W bush will do so on sites that vociferously oppose his pro illegal immigration policy... BEFORE that day arrives.

and its going to.
the fact that clintongs are partying with bushes elder and jr... are precursors and foreshadows of what THE POWERS THAT BE intend to do.

It will begin on OUR watch.
That way they will claim this is a bipartisan issue.

count on it.
and get a new screen name and random proxy browser.
(which won't help much)


76 posted on 06/29/2005 4:17:26 PM PDT by Robert_Paulson2 (Get your brand new 'penumbra and emanation' scopes while they are hot, two for fifty cents!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: Robert_Paulson2
I'm not disagreeing with the "fevgov is too-powerful" part of your post, but seriously, you DID write this:

an FEC poweful enough to regulate speech offensive to us, say like howard stern, is powerful AND corrupted enough to regulate OUR speech if it offends them or makes their base of power feel threatened.

Which made it clear that you were ascribing actions of the FCC to the FEC. Come clean on that score, at least.

77 posted on 06/29/2005 4:33:44 PM PDT by savedbygrace ("No Monday morning quarterback has ever led a team to victory" GW Bush)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: AWestCoaster
Of course the FEC is against bloggers. The FEC is made up of dems and repubs only. The last think they want to see is independent thought take root. They dream up things like McCain-Feingold, and the 3 dollar tax donation which they distribute to themselves. Your tax dollars subsidize their speech. They give money to themselves and do their best to swash any other party from rising by excluding them from debaters, etc. Their party members talk about "Bipartisanship" as if it includes everybody in the country except for a few nuts even though the majority of this country is registered independent.

There should not be an FEC. It is not called for in the constitution and is an anti- anybody but democrat or republican.
78 posted on 06/29/2005 4:52:27 PM PDT by jackieaxe (English speaking, tax paying, law abiding citizen.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: muawiyah

Well .. the real flap is that some of the democrat members of the FEC are afraid that CONSERVATIVE blogs might be helping out the conservatives, and not being held to account as making a in-kind donation.

Of course .. they don't expect MoveOn to be held to the same standard; even though 527 rules do not allow them to coordinate with the dem party - they do it anyway and they are not held to account.

However, FR is not a blog - FR is a forum.


79 posted on 06/29/2005 5:16:54 PM PDT by CyberAnt (President Bush: "America is the greatest nation on the face of the earth")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: CyberAnt
The Dems still fear FR enough to figure out some rule to cause us all problems.

I've asked Senator Warner numerous times to please let me know what an individual, such as myself, can do to violate the law and bring down the wrath of the FEC.

He has yet to respond. He was in favor of that law, voted for it, kisses McCain's tush, and maybe other parts, every time he can, but Warner and his running dog lackeys in his support staff have yet to figure out what I can do to openly violate that law.

80 posted on 06/29/2005 5:39:03 PM PDT by muawiyah (q)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 79 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 121-136 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson