Republicans & Democrats Want To Make Criminals Out of Bloggers

MensNewsDaily.Com ^ | 01/18/07 | Ze'ev Haas

[roguejew1965]

Thomas Paine is turning over in his grave as we speak. Both Republicans and Democrats are looking to squash our Constitutional Freedom to criticize our own government, a G-d given right that patriotic men and women fought and died for.

Section 220 of S. 1, the lobbying reform bill before the Senate, would require grassroots causes, even bloggers, who communicate to 500 or more members of the public on policy matters, to register and report quarterly to Congress, as lobbyists are required.

[em2vn]

".....the general public." The death of a language is taking place. The person who wrote this must know of a private public somewhere if there exists a general public.

[centurion316]

I've seen similar explanations from other groups, but I haven't seen a legal opinion that shares this view. I'd sure like to see one. Perhaps these organizations are just concerned that their lobbying bills will go up, since the lobbying firms will undoubtedly pass on the costs of complaince.

[cake_crumb]

SO now in order to exercise or former right to Freedom of Speech we've got to report to congress every quarter?

[cake_crumb]

"No more than 499 hits on any given post."

FR's not a blog, it's a forum.

[unixfox]

Now we know who the sonovabitches are. All of 'em!

Yep, and this country continues to be lulled into a sleep and won't wake up until the whole damn thing is over.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

Government inevitably tends to become more and more dictatorial over time. Every so often a revolution is needed. The kings and queens have their heads cut off. Then the cycle starts again.
- anononymous political observer

[cake_crumb]

"That doesn't read to me that any blogger that want to voice his opinion will be subjected to this. It reads to me like if someone PAYS a blogger to post things then the blogger would be required to file"

Yes, it DOES read that way.

Shame...I was wondering how many thousands, even tens of thousands of bloggers's opinions are read by 500 or more people...they should all report to congress in person. Capital Hill would be a Quagmire. It could be the Mother of all bull$sh!t Storms....

[quack]

Pretty soon, only licenced media outlets will be allowed to disseminate "news," and it will only be the official "news."

Welcome to State run television,like so many communist countries,where nary a word against "The State" can be uttered.

[F.J. Mitchell]

That is my greatest fear, unixfox.

[webheart]

how would the Court interrupt

Don't you mean interpret?

[Mo1]

Ya know .. I need to stop posting in the morning before I've had a pot of coffee

Thank you for catching my error

[cake_crumb]

I'm reading the Katie "give all the jobs to women because we're women" Couric screed on the CBS blog site and it beings up a question: reporters are paid by the networks to march in lockstep with the DNC talking points memo for the purpose of influencing public opinion, so shouldn't ALL paid talking heads on network blogs be considered lobbyists under the pseudo-definition given in this bill?

[Petruchio]

Let's see . . .

FReeRepublic has a fundraiser 4 times a year.

FReeRepublic reaches over 500 people with just about every thread.

Would FReeRepublic have to register? Or, only the FReepers that donate???

[massgopguy]

My column is read by 5,000 subscribers to the paper and I don't know how many on-line. Do I have to register?

[ElPatriota]

And I will tell this...They HAVE A REASON to be afraid, cause when people can communicate and compare notes, these damn politicians - This Club - knows we are finally up to what they do, so they must have us shut up somehow. Last night I heard somewhere that even ex-politicians who have been expelled for wrong doing, are getting around $80,000 pensions a year? Not sure, but it could not be a month, could i?

These jerk are not going to convince me they are in Congress or Senate JUST out of altruism... They are there because it is good them and because it is fantastic job to have if you can stay there!... They don't fool me for a second.

[goldstategop]

I address thousands here every day and I'm not going to register. My freedom of speech does not require Washington's advance permission.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[weegee]

"No more than 499 hits on any given post."

The FReepers who complain about multiple threads are gonna have a fit.

[weegee]

Socialists did it to us. We beat the USSR but lost the war.

[weegee]

What about the bloggers and FReepers who do not live in the United States?

Move On. Org got donations for foreign citizens who are not permitted to vote in our elections.

[OESY]

That doesn't read to me that any blogger that want to voice his opinion will be subjected to this. It reads to me like if someone PAYS a blogger to post things then the blogger would be required to file.

Part A was McCain-Feingold. Part B is this. Part C will cover us all as lobbyists for/against a cause or person--unless Congress stops passing incumbent protection legislation by curbing free political speech (while providing exemptions for the MSM).

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