blogIt is time to stand up for Free Speech. The government has used the IRS to muzzle Pastors and Ministers of the Gospel concerning politicians. The ministers are free to speak, but if they do the IRS cancel's their tax deductible non-profit status. In essence it is government extortion to keep Christians quite under the misuse of the so-called "Separation of Church and State" belief. There is no such language in the Constitution. Now certain Congressman (McCain in particular) are trying to muzzle the "Free Speech" Blogs during electoral campaigns.
I am certain this should raise the indignation of both Conservatives and Liberals. I have my info from a decidedly Conservative group (Gun Owners of America). If you are a Liberal do not let that sway you. This is one of those rare occasions in which Liberals, Conservatives and Americans can unite in one agenda:
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Will Congress Ditch John McCain's Internet Regulations?
-- Vote coming soon to preserve online political speech
Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org
Monday, March 27, 2006
Gun Owners of America alerted you a couple of weeks ago to
legislation -- introduced by Texas Congressmen Jeb Hensarling and Ron
Paul -- that will exempt the Internet from regulation under federal
"electioneering" laws.
The bill, H.R. 1606, was supposed to come to a vote on March 16, but
it was inexplicably pulled from the House calendar. The good news is
that bill is now back on the calendar, and it is scheduled for a vote
as early as Wednesday.
Unless the Hensarling-Paul bill is enacted, many major blogs and web
sites could be shut down for 60 days before any general election --
and for 30 days prior to any primary -- making it much more difficult
for groups like Gun Owners of America to criticize anti-gun
candidates.
These regulations have resulted from two court opinions that followed
the passage of the Incumbent Protection Act -- a law sponsored by
Senators John McCain and Russ Feingold. One opinion upheld the
McCain-Feingold law almost in its entirely [McConnell v. FEC]. In
the other -- Shays v. Federal Election Commission -- judges ordered
the Federal Election Commission to regulate the Internet.
The FEC is still mightily fighting the court to minimize the
regulation of the Internet. But who knows if they will prevail, or
if a future administration will take a much different view. This is
why H.R. 1606 is so important.
The danger, as it stands now, is that if Hensarling and Paul are
unsuccessful in exempting the Internet from FEC regulation, many
major blogs and web sites could one day be construed to be engaged in
"electioneering communications" because they praise or criticize
candidates. And, if this happens, they could be shut down for 60
days prior to an election -- or, at least, subject to a "gag
rule" on
what they are allowed to say.
ACTION:
1. Contact your congressman. Ask him to vote for H.R. 1606, a bill
to exempt the Internet from McCain-Feingold.
You can visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your Representative a
pre-written e-mail message such as the one below.
2. Take action and then please forward this alert to your pro-gun
friends and family!
----- Pre-written letter -----
Dear Representative:
The U.S. House of Representatives will soon vote on H.R. 1606, a bill
by introduced by Texas Congressmen Jeb Hensarling and Ron Paul to
exempt the Internet from regulation under federal "electioneering"
laws.
Unless the Hensarling-Paul bill is enacted, many major blogs and web
sites could be shut down for 60 days before any general election --
and for 30 days prior to any primary.
Please support H.R. 1606. Thank you.
Sincerely,
