Forum
- Home
- Forum
Notifications
Clear all
Topic starter
This could be big. Notice that it is Ron Paul and one other congressman who are standing up for the free expession rights of Americans.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
The U.S. House of Representatives will vote, as early as Thursday, on legislation introduced by Texas Congressmen Jeb Hensarling and Ron Paul. This bill (H.R. 1606) will exempt the Internet from regulation under federal "electioneering" laws.
Unless the Hensarling-Paul bill is successful, many major blogs and web sites could be shut down for 60 days before any general election -- and for 30 days prior to any primary -- making it much more difficult for groups like Gun Owners of America to criticize anti-gun candidates.
How did we arrive at such a dismal state?
You may remember that, a half-decade ago, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) pushed a McCain-Feingold bill which, as enacted, prohibits organizations from engaging in major "broadcast communications" which even mention a candidate in a favorable or unfavorable light within 60 days of a general election (30 days of a primary).
Senate Republicans rolled over -- and George Bush signed the bill -- based on the assumption that the Supreme Court would surely save them from their unconstitutional legislation. But, in McConnell v. Federal Election Commission, 540 U.S. 93 (2003), the Supreme Court, by a five-to-four decision, upheld McCain-Feingold, almost in its entirely.
To its enormous credit, the conservative Federal Election Commission (FEC), in the wake of the McConnell case, moved to narrowly interpret the statute -- exempting the Internet entirely from McCain-Feingold. But in Shays v. Federal Election Commission, 337 F.Supp.2d 28 (D.C., 20004), a federal judge ordered the FEC to regulate the Internet.
The FEC is doing everything in its power to minimize the impact of the Shays ruling.
But, there is certainly a danger that, if Hensarling and Paul are unsuccessful in exempting the Internet from FEC regulation, many major blogs and web sites will be construed to be engaged in "electioneering communications" because they praise or criticize candidates. And, if this happens, they could be shut down for 60 days prior to an election -- or, at least, subject to a "gag rule" on what they are allowed to say.
ACTION: Contact your congressman. Ask him to vote for H.R. 1606, a bill to exempt the Internet from McCain-Feingold. Time is short, so please CALL rather than e-mail your representative. (You can use the sample text below to help direct your comments.) The toll-free number to call your representative is 877-762-8762. If you can't get through, the Capitol Switchboard number is 202-225-3121.
http://www.thebirdman.org/Index/Temp/Temp-ActivistAlert-MajorThreatToNet-Zano.html
Originally from here but I couldn't find it easily.
http://capwiz.com/gunowners/home/
Yes the birdman is a bit goofy but he posts good stuff.
The man who believes that he has free will is more easily controlled since he will never think to look for the chains--Burrhus
[color="Red"]The jews are a problem--not our ONLY or SOLE problem, not responsible for EVERY problem faced by gentiles, not some ALL-POWERFUL race that we shouldn't bother trying to resist, not an EXCUSE for avoiding responsibilty for problems of our own making --but nonetheless, A REAL, SERIOUS PROBLEM.--Burrhus
Posted : 17/03/2006 3:39 pm
I'd like to see what would happen if they DID succeed in shutting down political blogs.
I bet there would be a lot of pissed off people.
"Evidence linking these Israelis to 9/11 is classified. I cannot tell you about evidence that has been gathered. It's classified information."
-US official quoted in Carl Cameron's Fox News report on the Israeli spy ring and its connections to 9-11.
Posted : 17/03/2006 3:56 pm
The internet is impossible for any one government to control.
Just pick a different country to host your blog.
On top of the world.
Posted : 17/03/2006 5:19 pm
Topic starter
The internet is impossible for any one government to control.
Just pick a different country to host your blog.
You may be right. I don't know enough about computers to say.
But JoeSixPack does. What do say, Joe? Is the threat that easily thwarted?
The man who believes that he has free will is more easily controlled since he will never think to look for the chains--Burrhus
[color="Red"]The jews are a problem--not our ONLY or SOLE problem, not responsible for EVERY problem faced by gentiles, not some ALL-POWERFUL race that we shouldn't bother trying to resist, not an EXCUSE for avoiding responsibilty for problems of our own making --but nonetheless, A REAL, SERIOUS PROBLEM.--Burrhus
Posted : 17/03/2006 5:32 pm
You may be right. I don't know enough about computers to say.
But JoeSixPack does. What do say, Joe? Is the threat that easily thwarted?
It is more a question of law than computers.
Unless your home government creates a bizarre new offence of using a foreign website, then you can do what you like.
Your national courts have no jurisdiction over foreigners or the sites they host and own.
If you aren't using the net to explore foreign sites at the moment, then you are missing out on the world wide web.
On top of the world.
Posted : 17/03/2006 8:47 pm
80% of websites are now pornographic, that is why the internet is allowed to exist. They would prefer it was 99% pornography.
Posted : 20/03/2006 11:20 am
Your national courts have no jurisdiction over foreigners or the sites they host and own.
pssssst...dont tell that to Ernst Zuendel.
Yeah, you probably knew that, but I thought I'd throw it in just it case it escaped anyone.
In his case, he couldn't escape his "national court" in Germany.
Posted : 20/03/2006 11:36 am