Posted on 03/14/2005 7:45:11 PM PST by mdittmar
Bloggers should enjoy traditional press freedoms and not face regulation as political groups, lawmakers and online journalists said Friday.
In separate letters, Democratic lawmakers and Internet commentators urged the Federal Election Commission to make sure that political Web sites that serve as focal points for political discussion, such as Wonkette.com and Freerepublic.com, don't have to comply with campaign-finance rules.
"Curtailing blogs and other online publications will dampen the impact of new voices in the political process and will do a disservice to the millions of voters who rely on the Web for original, insightful political commentary," said the Online Coalition, a group of bloggers and online activists.
Fourteen members of the House of Representatives said blogs foster a welcome diversity of viewpoints.
"This 'democratization' of the media is a welcome development in this era of media consolidation and a corresponding lack of diversity of views in traditional media outlets," said the group, which consists of thirteen Democrats and one Republican.
The FEC ruled in 2002 that Internet activities do not count as "coordinated political activity" and thus don't have to comply with laws that regulate money in politics.
But a U.S. judge struck down that ruling as too broad last year, and the FEC is scheduled to consider it later this month.
If the FEC determines that blogs are in fact political organizations, they could face fines if they work too closely with political campaigns by, for example, reprinting their press releases.
FEC spokesman Bob Biersack said the commission would try to craft its new rule as narrowly as possible.
"The Commission has tried very hard for a long time to be as limited in its regulation of Internet activity as it possibly could, so there's no reason to assume that that basic orientation doesn't continue," he said.
As I stated, it was my opinion, not a fact. But if I hadn't found FR in the last few days of the campaign...I wouldn't have even voted (Note I live in a highly Dem. area). FR was the only place I found sufficient facts to back up my own observations.
True, I find I'm much better informed on the activities of the left from reading FreeRepublic than the lefties I know who claim allegiance to NPR... still they've got all the bumperstickers. ;-)
Amazing. Liberals in favor of free speech. I am absolutely flabbergasted. Gobsmacked, even.
Maybe not your definition of a blog....but it can easily be defined as such.
* There's a time-stamp on each post. That's a log.
* It's on the web. It's a web-log.
It's a blog with thousands of posters instead of the two or three of iraqthemodel.com.
Don't try to hide behind a definition for protection from a law-grab. There's a section in each law called "definition" and they can write whatever they want in there.
FR is a blog.
You have to watch this left-handed 'no law' laws.
They recently passed a 'no tax' law for interent... except voice over IP.
This was in fact NOT a 'no tax' law, but actually the FIRST TAX law for internet. Next they exempt sales tax (exempt from the 'no tax' law, i mean)... then they exempt something else..
It is easier to pass a law sying 'no taxes' (when that is what everyone wants) and then start to slowly 'exempt' things from the law you just passed.
Remember- the INCOME TAX law (consitutional ammendment) was passed as a tax on 1/2 of 1% of all income over $1million. Back in 1917 (I think that is when it was) very few people made that much- but the door was then open, and look what we have now.
Correct - it is called free speech.
Just the "progressives" making up rules to keep the obviously dying mainstream media hanging onto the sinking raft.
There is a reason why we have the right to bear arms you know.
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