FEC Deciding Future of Political Blogs

* * Beatles-Beatles wrote to mention a bill entitled "The Online Freedom of Speech Act". The act, if passed, would make the Internet into a form of media subject to campaign finance laws. From the article: "Amid the explosion of political activity on the Internet, a federal court has instructed the six-member Federal Election Commission to draw up regulations that would extend the nation's campaign finance and spending limits to the Web. The FEC, in its initial rules, had exempted the Internet. Bloggers told the Committee on House Administration that regulations encompassing the Internet, even ones just on advertising, would have a chilling effect on free speech. The FEC vice chairman also questioned the necessity of any rules." Update: 09/23 15:33 GMT by Z : Edited to correct Congress != FEC.

Comments

Money = Expression = Speech

[dada21]

Campaign donations are the ultimate form of free speech. Money does not corrupt a politician; unlimited power to tax, regulate and spend is the problem.

Since campaign finance has been regulated and re-regulated, we've seen a few chilling unintended consequences:

1. Third parties are stifled.
2. Incumbents wield huge powers.
3. Loopholes are created hiding the real flow of money.

Bringing campaign finance laws online will only enforce these consequences. Our Constitution is very clear in restricting our Congress from limiting speech. "No law" means NO LAW."

Even ridiculous rules such as mandated government sponsored matching donations restrict the minority positions from being heard in public media forums. Regulating blogs will do incredible damage.

Remember that Democrats and Republicans are both authoritarian parties intent on wealth redistribution. Neither party restricts the other, they actually both help increase the tax base and takes care of each other's cronies.

If you want the ultimate campaign finance regulation you can do a few simple steps:

1. Repeal all donation restrictions and dismantle the FEC
2. Allow anyone (including foreigners and corporations) to finance any candidate in any amount
3. Restrict politicians to their minimum Constitutional powers, so that money has no effect since they're virtually prevented from helping their donators.
4. Allow any candidate that can get on a ballot to join in any government-funded debate.

Anyone who believes more regulations will help is truly blind to the realities of politics today. A properly restrained government is a government that can do no harm. Today's two parties are joined closely, acquiring that power through money control, a.k.a. Speech control. How you spend your money is the ultimate form of expression.

Re:Money = Expression = Speech

[untaken_name]

Since campaign finance has been regulated and re-regulated, we've seen a few chilling unintended
consequences:

1. Third parties are stifled.
2. Incumbents wield huge powers.
3. Loopholes are created hiding the real flow of money.

Check your premise. I seriously doubt these effects were unintended.

Re:Money = Expression = Speech

[JanneM]

Campaign donations are the ultimate form of free speech.

Money = speech - Interesting perspective.

It would mean that "I persuade a congressman to vote for a law" and "I pay a congressman to vote for a law" is the same thing. Well if you want to live in a society like that I guess it's fine.

Re:Money = Expression = Speech

[stlhawkeye]

4. Allow any candidate that can get on a ballot to join in any government-funded debate.

Therein lay the problem. Ballots used to not require a "getting onto." You just wrote down the name of the guy you were voting for. The problem, of course, is mis-spellings, illegible handwriting, smudged ink, etc. So we adopted a new type of ballot and a large set of rules about what it takes to be on it for each state. Both Republicans and Democrats warmly embrace this system and prop it up, because without it they'd have been resigned the dustbin of history decades ago. Notice that the Republicans were the large major party to come into any prominence in America? There were some notable other third parties, like the Bull Moose and Granger business, but right around the turn of the century (i.e, 100 years ago-ish), third parties really dried up and became impotent. It's not a coincidence that the United States adopted the pre-printed balloting system for the 1892 election.

Wost Summary Ever

[adavies42]

The summary is 180 degrees wrong on the bill, which will (as the title suggest) protect blogs: here's the actual text.

Paragraph (22) of section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431(22)) is amended by adding at the end of the following new sentence: "Such term shall not include communications over the Internet."

For more info, see this blog post.

Government By, For, and Of the Lawyers

[Doc Ruby]

Watch Congress carefully on this one. Any congressmember who votes to limit free speech, online or anywhere else, must be fired immediately. Convicted of violating their oath to protect the Constitution.

US Constitution, First Amendment:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Of course, they're all capable of it: they've shuffled off to work their fat jobs in the Capitol for years while police have run unconstitutional "free speech zones" which exclude free speech and peaceable assemblies. When your Representative or Senator votes for this bill, demand their head on a platter. It might be the last "petition for a redress of grievances" you'll get to make.

Re:And people wonder why you should be against

[Harry Coin]

Here's a short list of things that the government forces you to do at gunpoint:

• taxpaying
• zoning
• speed limits
• vehicle inspection
• vehicle registration
• protest in "free speech" zones
• building codes
• surrender your house under eminient domain

...and that's just for starters.

Every single rule and regulation instituted by our government is solely backed by local, state, and federal police and agents. They enforce their will at the barrel of a gun. If you continually decline to do precisely what the local, state, and federal government has decreed, then you will eventually find yourself looking down the barrel of a gun. Count on it.

Re:And people wonder why you should be against

[qkslvrwolf]

Well, then start trying to convince people to
1) Stop voting for people who have been in office longer than 10 years.
2) Stop voting for anyone with ties to big buisness.
3) Stop voting for anyone who inherited their wealth.
4) Stop voting for anyone with a law background.
5) Stop voting for anyone who has family closer than 2 generations who was in politics.
6) Stop voting for republicans.
7) Stop voting for democrats.
8) Start voting for independents who fit the above criteria and whose views and record you support.

The system is changeable, but unfortunately it'll have to get a lot worse before it penetrates the thick skulls of the complacent.