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Bill to Treat Bloggers as Lobbyists Defeated

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the common-sense-prevails dept.

Lawrence Person writes "The attempt to require political bloggers to register as lobbyists previously reported by Slashdot has been stripped out of the lobbying reform bill. The vote was 55 to 43 to defeat the provision. All 48 Republicans, as well as 7 Democrats, voted against requiring bloggers to register; all 43 votes in favor of keeping the registration provision were by Democrats."

5 of 537 comments (clear)

  1. Can't resist... Agreeing with republicans... by rhinokitty · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Eeek! This is the first time since I can remember that I have agreed with republicans! I don't think bloggers should have to register as lobbyists. Why do Democrats? WTF!? There must be something that I am missing...

  2. Re:I feel a great distubance by VGPowerlord · · Score: 0, Redundant

    I hate to nitpick, but actually, it's Alderaan.

    --
    GLaDOS for President 2016! "Well here we are again. It's always such a pleasure." -- GLaDOS, 2011
  3. Re:I smell a rat by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 0, Redundant
    Why do liberals use the word "neo?" Is that supposed to be insulting or something? I've never understood it.

    [How many of you know about the neo-GOP marching orders not to use the proper adjectival form for the Democratic Party?] Of course it's difficult to penetrate the veil of secrecy around the neo-GOP, but all of them going one way on any real issue clearly says that directions came from on high.


    Hell, how many of you know about the marching orders to deflect any mention of Barak Obama's heavy smoking by referencing Mark Foley? We could go all day with this.

    Why? Well, first guess time. How many bloggers could you hire for a million bucks? Hey, a million bucks here, a million bucks there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money a la neo-GOP-style campaigning--the only asset the neo-GOP has left now that McCain has joined (and chucked his principles) and Colin Powell has basically defected (apparently wedged by his).


    Haha, after all, Dems never hire anyone or have millions to spend (hello, liberal Hollywood)...anyway, this bill was an attempt by Democrats to stifle criticism of incumbents going into 2008. They know they're already on shaky ground--all the new Democrats are conservative anti-abortion, pro-gun Democrats--and they wanted to require bloggers with 500 or more readers to register. It's a restriction of free speech.

    Since you probably haven't even read it, here's section 220. The phrase "paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying" is conveniently not defined in the bill.
    --
    "Sufferin' succotash."
  4. Re:Astroturfing. by ZachPruckowski · · Score: 1, Redundant

    WRONG! Here is the conditional for this law to affect you: (astroturfer == true)&&(reach >= 500)&&(salary >= 100000)

    Note the &&s (ANDs) there. They're not ||s (ORs) All three must be true, not just any one of them.

  5. Proof by Myopic · · Score: 0, Redundant

    We now have both major political parties in power and both of them are trying, or succeeding, in screwing our rights.

    Personal liberty is good, so both major parties are bad, and so people should vote for other parties. Q.E.D.