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Election Commission Takes a Light Touch With Net Regs
CNet is reporting that the Federal Election Commission released a 96-page volume of internet regulations last Friday. From the article: "The rules [PDF] say that paid Web advertising, including banner ads and sponsored links on search engines, will be regulated like political advertising in other types of media. They also say bloggers can enjoy the freedoms of traditional news organizations when endorsing a candidate or engaging in political speech.
In the USA at least, the Constitution is the highest law of the land.
Because of this, I never understood why it is that a politician can pass (or help to pass) an unconstitutional law and it can negatively affect the welfare and livelihood and personal freedoms of many people, and yet when this law is finally overturned by a court and found to be unconstitutional, nothing happens to the politician.
If an elected official knowingly (and politicians overwhelmingly tend to be lawyers, so I doubt they can claim ignorance) contradicts the highest law of the land, especially for the purpose of political gain, they should simply be charged with treason and tried in a criminal court, and if found guilty by a court of law, they should be executed or receive life in prison. Let this happen once or twice to establish a precedent and most of the problem will be solved. No one forces a person to run for office; they wanted the power over the lives of millions of Americans, so let them also have the responsibility and personal accountability that goes along with it.
If this became reality, then perhaps if they don't like the Constitution they would go through the process of changing/amending it, rather than simply breaking its laws. You know, like what they tell us to do about laws that we don't like? We must eliminate this idea that government officials are somehow superior to or more soverign than any other citizen - the entire notion of rule of law is threatened by it. They are supposed to be public servants and what's good for the goose truly is good for the gander.
It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. - Einstein
>The very ANTITHESIS of freedom of speech, as this would doom anonymity.
An important point.
If the speech involves spending money and a single "speaker" can affect the outcome of the entire election, don't we need transparency? If government contractor Remora, Inc. pays $100 to each of 100,000 bloggers in the district of Senator Porkbringer who sits on the Appropriations Committee, isn't it best to have that fact on opensecrets.org? So we'll know what's going on when Senator Porkbringer tells us that national security requires giving a no-bid contract to Remora?
That is a very important point. We want to know when companies are influencing the election of politicians who are going to give them a sweet deal. Its imperitive to ensure that our nation doesn't turn into a corporate controlled state. Oops. Too late.
However, if I, as an independent citizen, wish to publish a political blog under the name Publius, I should have that right as well. I shouldn't have to file forms or disclose my funding if I wish to exercise my right to free speech. Nor should the government be able to tell me that I can't talk about the subject of politics simply because it is an election season.
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We'll be huddling in our homes fearing the new SS here soon.
Maybe you will. I shoot back.
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