We get the goverment that we deserve, unfortunately. Things like this tend to push me away from my beloved GOP and right into the arms of the Libertarian party.

Mm.

[...]

However, more than one-third of respondents had never heard of blogs before participating in the survey, and only around 30 percent of participants had actually visited a blog themselves.
[...]

...sounds like another meaningless online poll to me.

Don't let the Center for American Progress hear about this poll. Next thing you know, there'll be a "grass roots" effort of Soros-funded nonprofits lobbying for the establishment of the Federal BlogControl Agency, and people in places like DesMoines, Ottumwa, Plattsburgh, Westchester, Sonoma, and Nogales all coming up with the exact same ideas to put into the exact same letter to the editors of their local papers...

The "slippery slope" argument used to be considered facile. Thanks to the statists, tranzis and left wingers, its now pretty much one of the strongest arguments going. I'd be okay with progressive politics, if anybody could tell me where they are supposed to progress *to*. Sadly, progressives only know that they are progressing *away from* certain positions, which makes their politics quite dangerous.

The term "progressive" doesn't mean anything in a political context- the idea is to imply anyone who opposes them is regressive, not to tell you anything about what 'progressives' are in favor of.

Orwell would be impressed.

Well of course they shouldnt be publishing addresses and personal info. It is socially irresponsible

zombyboy - what does this poll have to do with the Republican party?

Keep in mind the way that the question was phrased. I'm pretty sure that if you replace "blog" with "newspaper" or "TV show," the poll results would be the same. Americans are (rightfully) pretty big about privacy.

This is why we have a Bill of Rights to begin with.......the majority can't (shouldn't) be trusted to protect freedom.

> This is why we have a Bill of Rights

Apart from the 3rd amendment, which part of the bill of rights is still in force?

I always think of freedom of speech as theoretical as long as no line is crossed.

Shouting FIRE in a movie theatre is the classic analogy. If there were true freedom of speech, no one would care what damage results.

I don't think blogs or newspapers should publish phone numbers or home addresses of people they want to punish just because they can.

Excuse me, addresses are not "personal information". If I want to reprint where you live, that's my choice. Phone numbers, if published in a book, are fair game too.

Social Security numbers, bank accounts, and the like, however are not.

On the other hand, if this cuts down on stories that What's-her-name Spears is pregnant, there is an upside.

erp, it has nothing, directly, to do with the Republican party and everything to do with my desire to see politicians who won't buy into things like the McCain-Feingold idiocy. I can't imagine any Libertarian having voted for that.

In a larger sense, beyond the scope of this post, what I want is for the GOP to be the party of small government and less government intrusion. I've voted for Bush both times I had the opportunity, and I don't regret that; but while I value his leadership as a war president and his commitment to reforming Social Security, a veto now and then would be nice and a little less faith in the power of the government to solve all of our problems would be appreciated.

If I can't get that from a Republican, sooner or later I'll have to look somewhere else. The Democrats--the party so harshly opposed to reforming Medicare and Social Security, many of whom still grow angry of Clinton's reform of welfare, and who supported creating an even bigger problem by trying to bring us a European-style nationalized health care system--certainly isn't the party for me.

What's left? Not voting out of spite or looking at the Libertarian candidates seem to be my only two options when my own party doesn't want to field the people who would represent my interests.

I'd be disinclined to trust the meaning of online poll results. The only thing I take away from this is a quick jab of "hey, my day job employer's getting a little media attention!". :)

But seriously, guys. 70% of the respondents had never visited a blog, and you're taking seriously their opinions about blogging?