Be very afraid.
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Recent Comments
- In The Mailbox: 02.28.23 (Afternoon Edition) : The Other McCain on Hey, longtime pw readers…
- In The Mailbox: 12.23.22 : The Other McCain on Patrick J. Carroll truly IS a sad, embittered psychopath
- Danger on Patrick J. Carroll might be a psychopath
- Danger on Patrick J. Carroll might be a psychopath
- In The Mailbox: 07.18.22 : The Other McCain on Patrick J. Carroll might be a psychopath
Not only will CFR be impossible to enforce, given the ease of setting up offshore servers and accounts, but it will have the side effects of instantly creating a massive group of “civil disobeyers,”—perhaps the largest such group, ever—and creating levels of disrespect for The Law in general not seen since… well, maybe ever.
I already don’t respect that law, and I may well be tempted to disobey. Not that there’s any money involved in my site… but you never know.
[Turing word: “almost,” as in “The RPMs of the Founders in their graves are almost too fast to count. So far.”]
[Speaking of revolutions….]
One flaw in brilliant plan, as Charlie Chan observed; It won’t work.
Only way to tame/emasculate (pick one) the net is to do it all at once, everywhere. That’s what the UN’s grab is about. Piecemeal simply drives sites offshore, as others have observed. Unless the FEC’s gonna start blocking traffic like the PRC, fageddaboudit.
Telecomm is already trans-national, boys.
Was it just me or did Commissioner Smith seem not to have an opinion one way or the other, only a mouthful of maybes.
Blogs (and the internets in general) are the new watercooler:”did you see that on TV last night?”, “isn’t that senator an a**hole?”, “how ‘bout those Mets?”.
They cannot be regulated. Not in the U.S. It’s as simple as that. They are the population speaking to itself. Already too big to rein in.
People who claim that these regulations are enforceable based on some silly idea that the internet is immune to enforcement don’t get it. The regulations don’t have to be perfectly enforceable, just enforceable enough to force those who are evading them to do so pseudonomously. Thereby degrading credibility.
They will work to keep 80% in line and thereby be considered a success by the McCain little napoleons.
Man, fuch John McCain. Just, fuck that guy.
I think you all know what I mean by “fuch.” I gots an itchy mouse-click finger.
If it comes to it – over my dead body.
Spam buster: fear – sorry, don’t got any. Don’t tread on me.
They are the population speaking to itself.
How is that different from any other form of communication? By definition, all communication (even on political topics) is one member of our population speaking to other members.
Does it matter that a blogger is speaking in his or her own name (i.e., in a personal, private capacity), as opposed to someone who is employed to do so? If this is the distinction, why should this matter?
I know how the thinking goes—speech is free, but when MONEY is involved, the government somehow acquires the power to use force to control it.
That’s what government is—the use of force. Government is, by definition, the organization of force.
Here, we have the proposed use of that force to control political speech. Of course, this speech does not constitute any form of objective, measurable, particularized harm, but the government steps in anyway. Its supposed justification stems from the absurd idea that, when it comes to money, the government has the power to control anything and everything it wants. Thank you, FDR, may you rot in Hell.
McCain-Feingold was one of the worst acts of legislation in my short lifetime. I was stunned when Bush signed it (while purporting to reject it—WTF?), and I was shocked when the Supreme Court rubber-stamped it.
For a moment, imagine a state of affairs where someone you hate (e.g., President Hillary) has control of the levers of government. They had plans to shut down talk radio. Do you think that she (or some other arch-leftist, take your pick) wouldn’t jump at the chance to clamp down on the blogs in an instant?
Don’t be afraid. Don’t even be a little concerned.
This. Will. Not. Stand.
Americans, all of us, just won’t allow it to occur. No matter what they try. It. Won’t. Work.
Man, that would blow. I’d have to go back to talking to people face to face on the subway or at lunch or something. Hell, if it does pass, it would be interesting to see how many bloggers would just get out the old fashioned soapbox and stand on a street corner.
Spam word was ‘hundred’. Guess that answeres my question.
Jeff is right. Be very afraid.
What Al Gore hath wrought, John McCain shall cause to be undone.
And to think I almost voted for that chump!
They can take my keyboard when they pry it from my cold dead hands!
I just hope they don’t sneak in and take it while I’m out scoring some bud.
Forbid it God Almighty !
I know not what course
others may take;
but as for me,
Give me Liberty or give me Death !
–Patrick Henry, 23 March 1775
Mojo’s Charlie Chan quote says it ’succinctlier‘ than I’m about to.
Methinks this would end up with the Supreme Court in stunningly short order with ‘friend of the court’ briefs filed by everyone from Moveon.org to Pat Robertson and his ACLJ. (And the millions of blog owners of every stripe in between)
China and Microsoft are currently teaming up to ban certain phrases, which has led to a free-speech PR disaster for both. No US politician with an ounce of sense will back this dog—they’d be asking for the same bad PR multiplied a thousandfold; a first amendment spanking so brutal it’d literally make the history books.
Which is not to say there aren’t politicians who are just that stupid. Their loss, our common gain.
Afraid? Better throw in pissed off and baffled. The worst part of that interview was the commissioner basically saying that something was going to be expelled from the regulatory bowel that the FEC has become. I can’t f$%&ing believe I have protected the Constitution of the United States from all enemies foreign, only to come home and find enemies domestic busily trundling it over to the nearest regulatory shredder…
Imagine fines and jail time for putting up a “what I’m reading now” list when some FEC insensitive nazi scumbag decides that it constitutes a political ad.
Thank you, John McCain. In the ass. Hard.
You know what, I’ll go to jail. Fuck them if they think I’m going to put up with having my rights taken away.
Everyday I wake up and think I’m living a page out of 1984 (Orwell). While the war rages in Middle East, our rulers slowly and quietly trim back our rights and reinterpret our constitution to put more and more power in their hands. Meanwhile they keep our attention diverted with a protracted war and the perpetual threat of terrorism. Hundreds of Thousands are medicated for ‘new’ conditions like AADD, Post Traumatic Stress, Depression using SSRIs that limit ones ability to get too worked up about anything. (kind of like Soma) Words and phrases are excised as non-PC hate speech..A government dependent welfare class is cultivated by both of the two approved parties. The internet is being reined in.. Great if it keeps the masses occupied with porn or online gambling.. but bad if its unlimited political free speech..
I worry because our citizenry as a whole doesnt seem to have the spine to support our troops properly during a hot war.. If it becomes neccessary, are there people left that would bear arms against their own government whether than accept totalitarian rule ? That what they did in the revolutionary war.. The Brits werent invaders, they were the lawful government and our rebels opted to bear arms against them to install a government of the people, by the people and for the people.. If it became neccessary, could we do it again?
I will not obey any campaign finance law or regulation which is in obvious contradiction to the plain text of the First Amendment.
Anybody want to join me in a pre-emptive “fuck you” to the regulators? Let’s teach the politicians that it is unwise to pick a quarrel with people who buy pixels by the truckload.
Would this be considered a FECal matter?
How much clearer or more straight forward does it get than this;
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.
However, the powers that be would have you believe that those statements are not as simple as they look and they actually mean something entirely different than you think they do.. Pay no attention to what your lying eyes think they see..
This law is like a big tattoo on McCain’s face screaming ‘clueless f’ing moron!’
What American in their right mind thinks that this law is a good idea?
Alpha – Depression is a “new” condition?
I’m with Robin, Jeff, and others who are actually worried. Anyone that says don’t worry is crazy, someone (or several someones) will get fined, go to jail, and rack up some impressive lawyer bills before the Supreme Court quashes this.
Dang it, just correcting my email address so I get updates.
No.. I was actually referring to Adult Attention Deficit Disorder and the like.. Depression has been around for quite awhile =), but mass treatment using SSRIs and other mood altering CNS medications hasnt. In fact SSRI are now handed out for pretty much everything.. Feelin melancholy-SSRI, exhausted -SSRI, stressed-SSRI, too, anxious, panicky, confused, unfocused, distracted, SSRI, SSRI, SSRI etc etc I tend to think theyre prescribed alot simply because it saves the medical corps money, (i.e. short office visits & meds that are far cheaper than numerous therapy sessions.) but what if there is some more nefarious agenda at work? Tranquilizers that dont make you tired but make you apathetic.. Just something to think about..
Hmmm.
Those damn moderates! They need to stop messing around with everyone’s rights!
hehe.
Since I’m in Pennsylvania and I can, I think I’m going to go buy some guns. Y’know. Just in case there is a revolution.
Well Shinobi, let me suggest the chinese made SKS carbine in 7.62X39. Inexpensive, easy maintainence, a joy to shoot and an absolute manstopping round.
My “preemptive fuck you” is already ready.