Free Speech Applies To Bloggers, Too
There has been a controversy brewing for some time now, and that is whether or not bloggers should be covered under campaign finance laws; that is, whether they should face certain restrictions. Mary Katherine Ham has good news: HR 1606, the bill dedicated to keeping bloggers free from these idiotic campaign finance laws, has passed out of committee, and may be voted on as early as next week.
This bill, which is also included as part of the "Pence-Wynn" campaign finance bill (H.R. 1316), would exclude Internet communications from the meaning of "public communication" under certain federal election laws. In short, this bill is aimed primarily at protecting bloggers from being regulated as campaigners who are subject to a litany of prohibitions and restrictions under current law.
Let me start by saying this: Bloggers, in general, are not campaign people. While we may encourage people to contribute to certain candidates, and we will endorse candidates, we are not a collection point for those candidates. The communication that we utilize on a daily basis is mainly news and politics based, but it is, in every resepct, nothing more than sound, reasoned commentary. Bloggers should not be regulated under these laws for the sheer fact that we operate more like the press (Yes, that disdained MSM) than anything else. As they are exempt from such laws, so should bloggers. In addition, unless otherwise specified by law, and properly defined as such, bloggers should enjoy the same "freedom of the press" that the MSM does.
House Administration Chairman, Vernon Ehlers, stated the following in regard to bloggers:
"This bill would exempt communications made over the Internet from the definition of a 'public communication' in the Bi-Partisan Campaign Reform Act," says Ehlers. "It would allow bloggers and other online activists to express their views on the Internet without fear of running afoul of our campaign finance laws."
"We don't want bloggers to have to check a federal agency before they go online."
"To me blogging is no different than people sending emails to each other...I think it is appropriate that we free the internet for the bloggers."
And he is not the only one in favor of this bill. Democrat Millender-McDonald stated the following:
"The internet is leveling the playing field between everyday Americans and big donors as well as big media."
"Bloggers should be treated no differently than talk radio...talk radio hosts have 1st Amendment rights."
We have been waiting for this sort of a bill since Congress first started looking into whether or not bloggers should be held accountable under the current campaign finance laws. This is a smart move made by the House, unlike their lack of backbone or brains concerning Dubai Ports World (scroll down for my update). I will be happy when this hits the floor of the House next week, and it is voted on. Hopefully, it will get approval, move onto the Senate, be approved there, and arrive on the president's desk for his signature.
The Bunny ;)
There has been a controversy brewing for some time now, and that is whether or not bloggers should be covered under campaign finance laws; that is, whether they should face certain restrictions. Mary Katherine Ham has good news: HR 1606, the bill dedicated to keeping bloggers free from these idiotic campaign finance laws, has passed out of committee, and may be voted on as early as next week.
This bill, which is also included as part of the "Pence-Wynn" campaign finance bill (H.R. 1316), would exclude Internet communications from the meaning of "public communication" under certain federal election laws. In short, this bill is aimed primarily at protecting bloggers from being regulated as campaigners who are subject to a litany of prohibitions and restrictions under current law.
Let me start by saying this: Bloggers, in general, are not campaign people. While we may encourage people to contribute to certain candidates, and we will endorse candidates, we are not a collection point for those candidates. The communication that we utilize on a daily basis is mainly news and politics based, but it is, in every resepct, nothing more than sound, reasoned commentary. Bloggers should not be regulated under these laws for the sheer fact that we operate more like the press (Yes, that disdained MSM) than anything else. As they are exempt from such laws, so should bloggers. In addition, unless otherwise specified by law, and properly defined as such, bloggers should enjoy the same "freedom of the press" that the MSM does.
House Administration Chairman, Vernon Ehlers, stated the following in regard to bloggers:
"This bill would exempt communications made over the Internet from the definition of a 'public communication' in the Bi-Partisan Campaign Reform Act," says Ehlers. "It would allow bloggers and other online activists to express their views on the Internet without fear of running afoul of our campaign finance laws."
"We don't want bloggers to have to check a federal agency before they go online."
"To me blogging is no different than people sending emails to each other...I think it is appropriate that we free the internet for the bloggers."
And he is not the only one in favor of this bill. Democrat Millender-McDonald stated the following:
"The internet is leveling the playing field between everyday Americans and big donors as well as big media."
"Bloggers should be treated no differently than talk radio...talk radio hosts have 1st Amendment rights."
We have been waiting for this sort of a bill since Congress first started looking into whether or not bloggers should be held accountable under the current campaign finance laws. This is a smart move made by the House, unlike their lack of backbone or brains concerning Dubai Ports World (scroll down for my update). I will be happy when this hits the floor of the House next week, and it is voted on. Hopefully, it will get approval, move onto the Senate, be approved there, and arrive on the president's desk for his signature.
The Bunny ;)
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 3:01 PM
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