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.
Do a google search on HR45, Filed the first day of the new congress. The assault started the minute the rats took control! Guns, Free speech, whats next?
< sarc > Yes, soon we will see links at the Huffington Post linking to the alternative views posted at Michelle Malkin’s web site! Oooh, it is going to be so fair! < /sarc >
Wrong verb.
Oh, yes.. I know all about HR45.. I’m also watching the 10th Ammendment states — of which AZ is one... Oklahoma passed theirs already.
I dislike John McCain as much as the next guy, but there is no comparison between he and what we ended up with... when people who kept pushing people not to vote for him come on these threads whining about what is happening now It makes my blood boil.
That is why they are building those FEMA camps.
I read the rheams of posts you made up to and on November 4th... your comments were quite clear. How many people do you think they swayed to stay home and not vote? If it was just one, it was one too many in these dangerous times... and reckless.
Enjoy Free Republic while it lasts.
I went gun shopping today.
Better get them while you can, but the assault is gonna be getting the ammo for them. Have you seen the price of ammo lately? It has gone out the roof!
There will be blood
The interstate commerce clause.
Well it would come a lot faster if we could get the good ole boys away from their "gods", college football,basketball,racing,boating,etc, and into the trenches. There won't be any of that "fun" stuff in the near future. Anybody out and about will be tracked back to their "shelter" and food and water and guns taken from them. The gangs,Gubmint boys will assume rightly that anybody out and about in the frontier MUST no doubt have food and water. And they will want it badly! And of course, the law will be NO HOARDING OF FOOD OR WATER OR AMMO!
SanFranGranNan has an audience with the Pope on Wednesday—you know, she’s an “ardent Catholic” *cough*myfoot*cough* and I sincerely hope and pray he reads her the riot act for supporting and promoting ABORTION!!! And lying about the Church’s stand on the matter, in front of God and everybody!!!
"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. When you give up that force, you are ruined."
— Patrick Henry
"If someone is so fearful that they are going to start using their weapons to protect their rights, it makes me very nervous that these people have weapons at all."
— Rep. Henry Waxman
Hate to tell you this but Grisham is ONE of THEM!!!
Ack.
This is really frightening crypto-communist bullspit. Obama is a coward, and living up to the legacy of Castro, Hitler and Stalin if he continues down the path of legally stifling dissent. This whole fairness thing is a lie, a ruse to shut down the opposition because they cannot answer to it. Using the government to aggrandize their own political power, and entrench themselves.
How about NPR - last time I checked it was still RED, and fully funded by tax dollars.
What about the universities that are accepting public money - are the political views too one sided. Are these universities living up to the public good? I think not, in fact they are completely left wing without the slightest hint of “fairness”. I think the doctrine applies and the American public should get fairness for its tax dollars. Change the professors, and let’s get diversity of views.
I am curious to see how Waxman intends on shutting down the Internet - he is playing with dynamite to keep his party in power. This jughead has to go.
Wha?? That bastion of unbiased professional journalism that is so wonderful they sit near the front row at HolyO’s so-called off the cuff press conferences??
Puleeze. A lot of my FReeper FRiends here are assuming that the Constitution means ANYTHING to these people. Don’t forget, their alleged [insert air quotes] ‘leader’ has commented that he believes the Constitution is a inherently flawed document!! Why on earth would you all here think it would sway any of these anti-American liberals controlling our government now?!?!
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