WA: Public Disclosure Commission's "stakeholder" meeting regarding Internet lobbying

libertylive.org ^ | 11/12/2008 | BY: Mike Reitz

[Jim Robinson]

Attention bloggers, please file your lobbyist forms...

I just got out of the Public Disclosure Commission's stakeholder meeting regarding Internet lobbying. As I blogged yesterday, the PDC is asking whether Internet activities such as email or blogging qualify as lobbying. Goldy has this succinct reply: "Um ... hell, no."

The purpose of today's meeting was to solicit public comment. Nancy Krier, the PDC's general counsel, ran the meeting and about a dozen folks showed up. I shared EFF's concern: that the Internet, which has become the new town square, is a forum where many citizens voice opinions about legislation and public policy issues.

Excessive regulation in this arena could quash free speech and cause "regular" folks great frustration if their online activity comes with reporting requirements. Not even addressing the bloggers who generate some modest advertising income, should ordinary citizens have to register with a state agency simply because they're outspoken about a particular issue?

The PDC will discuss this again on December 4.

[kjenerette]

Do Internet activities such as email or blogging qualify as lobbying...

Definitions have an ‘elastic boundary’ that can be expanded or reduced according to whoever is the position of power to make the definition stick.There was a reason the framers of the Constitution put the First Amendment First.

At the end of the day: The person or committee or group who makes the rules and determines the structure around the rules can determine who can participate and ultimately determine the outcome.

This is clearly a backdoor approach to eliminate anonymous discourse from the public arena.

Katherine

Katherine Jenerette

[DesertRhino]

What is their authority? Do they claim to regulate what people from outside Washington state can do?

[Lurker]

Am I logged in? Been seeing the same replies for the last 45 minutes.

L

[HighlyOpinionated]

Thanks for attending. Are they looking for input?

There’s no way they can control us. This is a FREE Speech issue.

They just want to tax us for using our Freedoms.

“Politicians have the power to collect and redistribute health — to tax and spend. Last time this happened there was a great revolution over this issue, something about taxation without representation.”

Now, who brought the teabags?

[cpforlife.org]

It appears FReep Mail is not working?

I just sent several and nothing is showing up in sent folder or back to me as tests.

[Condor51]

I must need new glasses. I swear I see “email” considered as Lobbying?

[Paperdoll]

Is this one of the reasons it has been difficult to log on to FR for the past several days?

What’s to become of our beloved FR>?

[llevrok]

What’s to become of our beloved FR>?

I'm guess "it" has already started. (yikes)