Wow, I thought this only happened in movies?

[Svenskaflicka]

Saturday, April 3rd, 2004


CRISIS SITUATION:

From MoveOn.org:

Are you involved in a local or national non-profit or public interest organization? As a leader or board director or member? Please read this message carefully, because your organization could be facing a serious threat.

The Republican National Committee is pressing the Federal Election Commission ("FEC") to issue new rules that would shut down groups that dare to communicate with the public in any way critical of President Bush or members of Congress. Incredibly, the FEC has just issued -- for public comment -- proposed rules that would do just that. Any kind of non-profit -- conservative, progressive, labor, religious, secular, social service, charitable, educational, civic participation, issue-oriented, large, and small -- could be affected by these rules.

Operatives in Washington are displaying a terrifying disregard for the values of free speech and openness which underlie our democracy. Essentially, they are willing to pay any price to stop criticism of Bush administration policy.


YOUR MISSION:

Below are instructions to help you make a public comment to the FEC before the comment period ends on APRIL 9th. Your comment could be very important, because normally the FEC doesn't get much public feedback.

Public comments to the FEC are encouraged by email at: politicalcommitteestatus@fec.gov

Comments should be addressed to Ms. Mai T. Dinh, Acting Assistant General Counsel, and must include the full name, electronic mail address, and postal service address of the commenter.

More details can be found here.

We'd love to see a copy of your public comment. Please email us a copy http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

In a non-election year, this kind of administrative overreach would never find support. It goes far beyond any existing law or precedent. It is a serious threat to the fundamental checks and balances in our system. But because of an unholy alliance between a few campaign reform groups and GOP partisans, this rule change could actually happen if we don't act now.

 

[Raging Whoremoans]

The wonders never cease.

~ R W

 

[Guest]

I can't believe that I can't believe this. I presume they will have to close down most universities.

Perdita

 

[ABSTRUSE]

does this mean the constitution only applies to certain people? and why did it take someone from a whole different country to point this out to us?( thanks Svenska)

Is this "1984" or "The Handmaids Tale"?

~A~

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I would say this is a hoax. It has all the earmarks of leftist propaganda, including the Orwellian theme. My parent's machine is much to slow, but I'll do some digging when I get back on my DSL.

-Colly

 

[rgraham666]

I don't see why it's not considered possible. It's been done before, in the States.

Specifically the Sediton Act bought in under John Adams. It bought in jail terms for anyone who held the government 'in contempt'.

As I recall almost half the newpapers in the States were shut down by this law. And quite a large number of people (for the time) went to jail under it's provisos.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I don't see why it's not considered possible. It's been done before, in the States.

Specifically the Sediton Act bought in under John Adams. It bought in jail terms for anyone who held the government 'in contempt'.

As I recall almost half the newpapers in the States were shut down by this law. And quite a large number of people (for the time) went to jail under it's provisos.

Quite true, but the nation was young then and many of the protections of the constitution had yet to be tested. I would think in this day and age that stifling criticism of the government would be unacceptable to all americans, as the next pres might be a democrat and you would hate to be unable to call him a sorry SOB if you were a republican.

-Colly

 

[minsue]

Quite true, but the nation was young then and many of the protections of the constitution had yet to be tested. I would think in this day and age that stifling criticism of the government would be unacceptable to all americans, as the next pres might be a democrat and you would hate to be unable to call him a sorry SOB if you were a republican.

-Colly

I haven't looked into the veracity of the article, though MoveOn is very good about including citations. (yes, another liberal on their e-mail list. ) I will say that stifiling criticism of the government is considered by many (GOP at the moment seeing as their in power and, as we're reminded whenever anyone dares to criticize, we're at war) to be a patriotic duty. Since 9/11, anyone who criticizes the government is immediately branded as unpatriotic. Especially if they're of the other party, but that's not a pre-requisite.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I haven't looked into the veracity of the article, though MoveOn is very good about including citations. (yes, another liberal on their e-mail list. ) I will say that stifiling criticism of the government is considered by many (GOP at the moment seeing as their in power and, as we're reminded whenever anyone dares to criticize, we're at war) to be a patriotic duty. Since 9/11, anyone who criticizes the government is immediately branded as unpatriotic. Especially if they're of the other party, but that's not a pre-requisite.

As I said, I don't know, but it sounds fishy to me. I'll do some research when I get home before I comment further

-Colly

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I believe Stalin did the same thing. And then he upped the ante and made an even stricter law, that forbid every author/artist/singer to create ANYTHING that wasn't about praising him.

Just think what this would do to the Celebrity category!!!

Oh, THERE's my puke-bucket...

 

[minsue]

As I said, I don't know, but it sounds fishy to me. I'll do some research when I get home before I comment further

-Colly

OK, I haven't read it yet, but MoveOn's citation for that article was the FEC site. The links are here: http://www.fec.gov/register.htm

The "Notice of Proposed Rulemaking" (I love gov't-speak ) is the first link on the FEC page and is in itself a 26 page PDF document.

Luckily, you're on a slow computer. This way I might actually have everything read by the time you do.

- Mindy