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Corrine Delivers - Votes Against Freedom Of Speech Votes no on Online Freedom Of Speech Act Last year, a judge decided that political speech online constitutes a campaign contribution, and is thus subject to regulation by the FEC. Republicans on the FEC wanted to appeal the decision, but the Democrats on the commission - equal in number to the Republicans - voted no. With no appeal, the district court judge's ruling stands. Thus the effort by the House to change the law. The bill was only one sentence long - " Such term shall not include communications over the Internet. " (Background here.) But in one of those complicated rules based decisions only the folks in Washington understand, the House vote failed to pass the measure, even though a majority of Representatives voted for it. WASHINGTON (AP) - Online political expression should not be exempt from campaign finance law, the House decided Wednesday as lawmakers warned that the Internet has opened up a new loophole for uncontrolled spending on elections. The House voted 225-182 for a bill that would have excluded blogs, e-mails and other Internet communications from regulation by the Federal Election Commission. That was 47 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed under a procedure that limited debate time and allowed no amendments. The vote in effect clears the way for the FEC to move ahead with court-mandated rule-making to govern political speech and campaign spending on the Internet. Brown campaigns, and gets reelected, under the slogan "Corrine Delivers," a clear reference to her claimed ability to deliver pork to her constituents, and her constituents love to feel as though they are sticking it to the man. I've met the Congresswoman - she's a kindly woman - she seems like the sort of woman you'd want for a grandmother. But she has no business in Congress. She has no business telling folks what is appropriate free speech. As the Club For Growth says With spending out of control, this vote shows that not only do politicians take our money, they take our freedom to speak against them as well. That should scare the pants off of anyone. This is a clear attempt by the powers that be in government, regardless of party, to eliminate online political discussion. They simply can't stand the idea that the little people can talk about them behind their backs. Update - This is not a dispute between parties, nor between left and right. Kos is as disappointed as Powerline and Captain's Quarters. It's a dispute between free speech's friends and its enemies. |
Jacksonville Congresswoman Corrine Brown proves she's an enemy of free speech. Brown, a Democrat from Florida's gerrymandered 4th District which extends from Jacksonville to Orlando,