Posted on 08/23/2008 9:33:27 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
Free to Blog
It isn't every Tuesday that DailyKos and the Heritage Foundation find common cause, but that was the case after a Federal Election Commission ruling last week that exempts political bloggers from rules governing political organizations. The decision, great news for bloggers, also highlights the proliferation of chronic whiners that the campaign finance laws have produced. Politicians and their allies increasingly are resorting to lawsuits and regulatory complaints in an attempt to silence opponents and critics.
In this case, the whining was done by a Hillary Clinton supporter who complained that a pro-Obama blog called Iowa True Blue was working hand-in-glove with the Obama campaign. The FEC found the two were not coordinating their efforts, but even if they had been, the agency said it wouldn't have been a violation of the rules. Blogs fall under the "media" exemption of the campaign laws, just like when a newspaper quotes campaign materials or talks to campaign staffers or even champions a candidate.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com:80 ...
Very good news for all of us in pajamas.
This is good news, without a doubt - but in a better world, McCain-Feingold would have never been given the approval of SCOTUS in McConnell v. FEC - indeed, never been signed. No, never even been proposed, let alone passed.Or, in a better world, you would have a spare billion that you could push onto the table and take Feingold back to SCOTUS, where the balance has shifted in the Constitution's favor by the retirement of Sandra Day O'Connor from 5-4 against to, presumably, 5-4 for.
Without the conceit that journalists are super citizens who are "objective" and thus more equal than the rest of us, McCain-Feingold could never make any sense at all to an American. And without the Associated Press, the conceit that journalism is objective would itself never have made any sense to Americans. And, according to this excellent site, the Associated Press was held by SCOTUS to be a monopoly in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1945.
BTTT
McCain-Feingold is moot. The thing we must guard against now is the attempt by Government, personified by the FCC, to seize control of internet communications.
And with McCain soon to be in charge of the FCC, that’s a very real threat. He’s already proven with McCain-Feingold that he has no reverence for the Constitution.
Great news....now everyone go out and buy more guns...more ammo and head to the range!
The "Enemedia" gatekeepers are already trying to filter content like they do with cable television. They just cannot stand the free flow of information. That Viacom issue with YouTube is just the beginning... ATT is getting into the act under the guise of copyright protection...
Check this one out. LOL!!!
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003842038
MoveOn.org Targets AP’s Fournier for Alleged Pro-McCain Bias
bump
Thanks for the ping; post. Great thread. Thanks to every contributor.
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