FREE SPEECH for ME but NOT FOR THEE!!!

The coming crackdown on blogging

Bradley Smith says that the freewheeling days of political blogging and online punditry are over.

In just a few months, he warns, bloggers and news organizations could risk the wrath of the federal government if they improperly link to a campaign's Web site. Even forwarding a political candidate's press release to a mailing list, depending on the details, could be punished by fines.

Q: What rules will apply to the Internet that did not before?

A: The commission has generally been hands-off on the Internet. We've said, "If you advertise on the Internet, that's an expenditure of money--much like if you were advertising on television or the newspaper."

The real question is: Would a link to a candidate's page be a problem? If someone sets up a home page and links to their favorite politician, is that a contribution? This is a big deal, if someone has already contributed the legal maximum, or if they're at the disclosure threshold and additional expenditures have to be disclosed under federal law.

HELLO????? What if I have a Bush/Cheney sticker on my car?

Why wouldn't the news exemption cover bloggers and online media?

Because the statute refers to periodicals or broadcast, and it's not clear the Internet is either of those. Second, because there's no standard for being a blogger, anyone can claim to be one, and we're back to the deregulated Internet that the judge objected to. Also I think some of my colleagues on the commission would be uncomfortable with that kind of blanket exemption.

I'm sorry...... Are we implying that the media has standards? Like Dan Rather, or New York Times, or CNN (Eason Jordan)????? Not sure if I should laugh or puke....

Read the whole thing......

Free Speech for the LLL's on college campus, in the media, on the TV, porn, etc......... but not for the everyday American? The "common folk?" Boy they have missed the whole point... not to mention- they are to regulate public air waves that are FREE and owned by the public! Don't know about you-- but I pay for my Internet Service Provisions..............

Let them try and muzzle me, I'm a woman- can't be done! (Bigger and better men have tried!)