Posted on 02/16/2009 6:59:38 PM PST by kristinn
The American Spectator's Prowler column published today has a disturbing report on the plans by the Democratic Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Henry Waxman to regulate political speech on the Internet.
In addition to details of methods Waxman is considering to rein in conservative talk radio, The Prowler reports on Waxman's desire to use the power of the federal government to investigate amd control political content on the Internet.
The article quotes an unnamed committee staffer as saying of Waxman's power grab:
"Does one heavily trafficked Internet site present one side of an issue and not link to sites that present alternative views? These are some of the questions the chairman is thinking about right now, and we are going to have an FCC that will finally have the people in place to answer them."
"Internet radio is becoming a big deal, and we're seeing that some web sites are able to control traffic and information, while other sites that may be of interest or use to citizens get limited traffic because of the way the people search and look for information. We're at very early stages on this, but the chairman has made it clear that oversight of the Internet is one of his top priorities."
"This isn't just about Limbaugh or a local radio host most of us haven't heard about. The FCC and state and local governments also have oversight over the Internet lines and the cable and telecom companies that operate them. We want to get alternative views on radio and TV, but we also want to makes sure those alternative views are read, heard and seen online, which is becoming increasingly video and audio driven. Thanks to the stimulus package, we've established that broadband networks -- the Internet -- are critical, national infrastructure. We think that gives us an opening to look at what runs over that critical infrastructure."
The article reports that Waxman intends to work with Democratic Party President Barack Hussein Obama's nominee to be chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Julius Genachowski, who is awaiting confirmation by the Democrat controlled Senate, to investigate and regulate free speech on the Internet.
Absolutely. No Republican (even the squishy ones like Graham, McLame & other Rinos) should be touching this or agreeing with it in any sense. However the nagging contingent of 6-8 Rinos in the Senate will ALWAYS produce at least 2-3 betrayers on a round robin basis who will backstab & betray the other Republicans in their rush to appear "bipartisan" and "reaching across the aisle". No matter how much it destroys our country!!!
No, only conservative bloggers. Only the Right will be controlled. Not NPR, not the large nets that are tankers to BHO, not MSNBC. The fact is that even though BHO said today he was against the Fairness Doctrine , he did not outright say he was against censorship. Waxman is a tyrant as is Obama. This socialism is so evil in just 4 weeks that 2010 cannot come too soon to see if voters will just sit by and allow America be destroyed.
bttt
Here it comes, folks, another sign of a communist government. They’ll regulate every word spoken and every breath taken before long. It’s a scary world out there.
Can’t see them for the nose...
Trouble is he won’t regulate porn. That’s a free speech issue, LOL.
Hey, don’t insult simians...
Remember how they crabbed and moaned when President Bush took August off and went to Texas? Man, you’d think he had fled the country with his mistress.
Hope your aim is good. Practice...
And he did! God bless the Pope.
Can you imagine how ugly their kids would be if they bred? BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
When Waxman was born, the doctor slapped his mother.
Not only the internet oversight but the census bureau too. Man, it’s only been a month and I feel drained already.
His whole face is one big booger...
Nostralitis Waxman is going to shut down FR.
Hush your mouth! lol
Otay...
bump
bump
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.