Is he gone? I feel like a teenager whose parents have left her alone for the weekend. I'll try to be good, though.
For my inaugural post, I'd like to bring you up to speed on the possible violation of bloggers' First Amendment rights. Last week I wrote that the Federal Election Commission (FEC) may extend the campaign finance reform law to the Internet, which includes blogs. If that were to happen, in practice (although utterly impractical), bloggers' links to political candidates' web sites would be considered contributions, and our political blogging would be subject to government restrictions
Think about it. Bloggers would have to navigate the intricacies of convoluted laws (Are there any other kind?) just to blog about political candidates. Our speech - online debates and discussion, campaigning, news writing, editorializing, etc. - would be seriously curtailed.
There is a press exemption in the law, and the question is whether bloggers fall under this exemption. The bipartisan Online Coalition, a group of bloggers of all stripes, is requesting that bloggers and online journalists be granted the same protection as newspapers, magazines, etc., under the press exemption. I encourage you to visit the site and show your support by signing the letter to FEC Chairman Scott Thomas.
Although I came to the game rather late, media critic Howard Kurtz quoted me on CNN last week. They showed a screenshot of my blog with the following pull quote: "The one thing uniting liberal and conservative bloggers is a threat to our First Amendment rights."
That just about sums it up. We are united. Watch the video.
Visit my little corner of the blogosphere.
Also see Wizbang for video and transcripts of the recent Politics Online Conference.
I'm amazed that there are those who do not see that free-speech, thus free thought, supercedes the Constitution which codifies it. To me, free thought is life.
McCain-Feingold is, quite simply, thought control. It's supporters and other dicers of the First Amendment are myopic, at best. At worst they seem to be non-free thought entities, and effectively racist in regards to free thought.
It is interesting to see what "blogging events" that the CNN report mentions:
1) liberal blogs help oust Trent Lott (they think it's OK)
2) a successful liberal blogging effort (Dean fundraising)
3) Daily Kos (liberal blog OK - blogger admits he's a dem functionary)
and finally ...
4) Thune pays bloggers to unseat Dashiel (conservative blogging effort underhanded and not OK)
Does the bias never end?
this one is a tempest in a teapot.
so long as a blogger does not
take cash to promote a candidate,
nor directly give cash to a campaign
in excess of the mccain-feingold
limits -- in short, so long as
bloggers simply comply with
existing law -- i predict [not
too boldly, actually] NOTHING will
be the consequence of his or
her blogging activities/actions.
now, if a blogger is taking cash
to promote a candidate, that is
plainly covered by mccain-
feingold. and properly so.
the democrats are struggling
to be sure the above results
continue to be the outcome.
i'll waste no more 'lectrons
on this [mostly] non-issue. . .
increase the
p e a c e,
-- tae, out.
Did he lock up the booze LaShawn?
Keep an eye on Jeralyn ... she bears watching.
I'm not impressed and for the record, no, we are not one. Despite what you, the frantic Captain and countless others may say, tae's right.
Meanwhile, a Florida judge has determined it's okay for someone to murder you. And the bloggers that could have really thrown their considerable weight behind this issue and likely made a difference and saved someone's life (not to mention countless others to follow), got all caught up in their own little world.
I'm just not impressed with any of you.
