Blogging Threatened by Impending Legislation – Be Warned and Be Armed

According to a post by Owen Winkler at Asymptomatic, blogging is being threatened by impending legislation in the US government.

If you’re not into reading the links in the previous paragraph, here’s the gist: Republican Jeb Hensarling of Texas sponsored a bill that would add words to the federal election laws that would exclude the internet from restrictions imposed on newspapers, TV, and other media regarding promoting candidates. The actual text change reads, “Such term shall not include communications over the Internet.�

The vote went to the floor looking for a 2/3 approval, and didn’t get it. Why? Mostly because Democrats voted against it. I can’t figure that one out.

Anyway, as the law stands, if you’re writing a political blog, it seems you are subject to the laws overseen by the Federal Election Commision. Look out for fines!

Get involved. Read the legislation and the comments about the action. Start an email campaign. write about this in your blog, and spread the word that imposing restrictions on blogging is bigger than attacking freedom of speech.

While the US is losing face all over the world as a big, angry, war-monging, greedy and lazy beast, we are among the few who do set the world’s example for the honest definition of freedom as well as freedom of speech. Americans have the RIGHT to be big, angry, war-monging, greedy, and lazy – that is our “freedom” to choose and do.

We have the freedom to say what we want, when we want, and how we want, as long as it isn’t in print, on television, radio, or in a movie. Blogging has opened up the door to making that right a reality. “Anything goes” is the motto of bloggers, so don’t let your government tell you otherwise by imposing false moral values on what you have to say.

Get involved. Everyone’s voice counts on this. If you don’t, don’t whine when you can’t say what you want later.

---

Site Search Tags: rights, blog, blogging, freedom, speech, freedom+of+speech, laws, news