Appliance Repair Wisdom for the Ages

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Blogs have proven to be a serious threat to the Empire's status quo. So much so that the Empire is striking back with yet another naked power grab. The Beltway Bandits want to limit your political speech on the Internet, even on your own website! Read the dispatch below and pass it on to your friends and associates on the Internet.

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h

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Please forward to friends who value free speech on the Internet.

Last week, FEC Commissioner Brad Smith fired the shot heard round the Internet. He said political activity on the Internet is likely to be regulated. Smith opposes this notion because he believes it's unconstitutional. He was engaging in whistle-blowing.

His opponents are accusing him of "misleading" or being an "alarmist." But this is not a hoax.

A federal judge has specifically ordered the Federal Election Commission to regulate political activity on the Internet. These new regulations must comply with other regulations on political activity established by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA).

This means YOU could be subject to regulation. You might trigger these regulations by...

* Forwarding a campaign press release using email.
* Printing a campaign press release on your website.
* Posting a campaign ad on your blog.
* Linking to a candidate's website from your home page.

But websites and email lists tied to established corporate media institutions are exempt from these regulations. The New York Times' website is free from regulation, but your website and email communications will not be.

All of this is a consequence of BCRA, a law that protects incumbent office holders from criticism, and privileges the established corporate news media with full speech and press rights that you no longer enjoy.

Please go to www.DownsizeDC.org right now, click on the link under the headline "Save Our Blogs," read a short explanation of how this has all come about, and then use the easy Electronic Lobbyist System to send a message to Congress asking them to repeal BCRA and restore your freedom of the press.

Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org

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D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h
is the official email list of http://www.DownsizeDC.org

Fight the power! Don't let Da Man keep you down! Let's take Ameedica back!

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