Say Anything Blog

This is nothing but an attempt to intimidate people from speaking their minds.

If someone’s doing something illegally track them down.  Otherwise leave them along.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

Next they will demand that all bloggers sew a letter “B” on their clothes so they can round us up and put us in kamps.

Once you are registered, they know where to find you, and your freedom(anonymity) is gone.  Same applies to gun registration.  Next thing you know, they’ll be registering computer owners.

"Give the lefties a pile of money, and they’ll spend it buying votes.” - Rush Limbaugh on the “bailout”.

How many bloggers get paid 25k/quarter?  That’s the threshhold.

That’s the cut-off for a lobbying firm.  This would apply to bloggers with an audience over 500 people.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

That’s the cut-off for a lobbying firm.  This would apply to bloggers with an audience over 500 people.

Bullshit.

Your ONLY source on this is a press release from a far-right hate group. I realize your faith in press releases is absolute, but we in the reality-based community have a higher standard than that.

Like 90% of the shit that comes from the far-right, this is a total lie. And you fell for it hook line and sinker.

Typical.

You don’t like Rob’s source but have no source of your own.

Senate Bill #1 is focused on just these matters.

I haven’t been able to find a section that deals with bloggers and it may not show up in the bill. 

A lot of the bill text is “strike the second paragraph in section 1.2.34.” If that paragraph in the original exempts bloggers it could have exactly that effect.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

Shoot/demonize the messenger; that’s a real rebuttal.  No matter who says it, if it’s true, there’s a problem.
Even you might tell the truth occasionally, Don.  It’s possible.

"Give the lefties a pile of money, and they’ll spend it buying votes.” - Rush Limbaugh on the “bailout”.

OK Rob’s link to Of Arms and the Law , says that Blogging could be construed to fit under the “grassroots lobbying.” That’s where the 500 people limit comes in.

This is a restriction of free speech, plain and simple.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

But that text is the text from Thomas.Gov, so once again Don is proven wrong as wrong can be.

Expect him to disappear for a couple weeks.  That’s his standard MO when he’s proven wrong.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

Don Myers spews, Your ONLY source on this is a press release from a far-right hate group. I realize your faith in press releases is absolute, but we in the reality-based community have a higher standard than that.

1. Everything Don Myers doesn’t agree with is “hate”.

2. A stock claim of Don is that those he disagrees with have an “absolute faith” in the press, which is laughable considering the amount of time that many here spend discussing the untrustworthiness of the press.

3. Despite the above, Don feels the need to reassure himself that he is a part of some “reality-based community”.

What’s the matter Don? Did your prescription Effexor run out? Your depression and cold sweats back?

I hope you get the help you need Mr. “Captain Normal” (cute that you tell yourself that), because you’re too angry when you’re off your meds.

This statute makes my head hurt.  As I read it, you’re right that bloggers w/ audiences > 500 would, if paid, be considered grassroots lobbyists.  However, the statute only requires registration if that grassroots lobbyist qualifies as a grassroots lobbying firm, which is defined as a grassroots lobbyist that receives >25,000 (19(B)).

It looks like the entity making the payment has to disclose payment of any size (to bloggers w/ audiences > 500), but no further action is required of the blogger.

I hate campaign reform laws.  They’re invariably asinine.

I want to know how they plan on measuring audiences of more than 500 and why they picked that number. Everybody knows that the potential audience is everybody in the world with an Internet connection (minus the countries that censor the Internet, of course).

But that text is the text from Thomas.Gov…

No, it’s not. It’s from PR NEWSWIRE, a service that places press releases into newspapers and the internet, often disguised as ‘news.’ It’s a common practice.

...so once again Don is proven wrong as wrong can be.

So once again you display the illiteracy and lack of curiousity which is the bulmark of the anti-intellectual Right.

Expect him to disappear for a couple weeks.  That’s his standard MO when he’s proven wrong.

I show up here every couple of weeks when I get curious about what the far-right nitwits are getting their panties in a bunch over these days.

Instead of visiting a dozen different sites I just come here to Say Anything...As Long as Rush or Malkin Says It First. Y’all march in lockstep and it’s a real timesaver for me.

But I can only take so much stupidity, bile, and hate before I get sick. So...so long.

Your ONLY source on this is a press release from a far-right hate group.

It’s from the bill introduced in the Congress.  I’m pretty sure they’re wrong, but these things aren’t exactly easy to parse, especially bills that amend other law.  It’s a pain, and there’s room for good faith error.

It’s from PR NEWSWIRE, a service that places press releases into newspapers and the internet, often disguised as ‘news.’ It’s a common practice.

No it is not Don, it’s part of Senate Bill 1 which you would look up on Thomas.Gov if you had any honesty whatsoever.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

Don Myers said, So once again you display the illiteracy and lack of curiousity which is the bulmark of the anti-intellectual Right.

Three insults.

I show up here every couple of weeks when I get curious about what the far-right nitwits are getting their panties in a bunch over these days.

A couple of insults in there.

Instead of visiting a dozen different sites I just come here to Say Anything...As Long as Rush or Malkin Says It First. Y’all march in lockstep and it’s a real timesaver for me.

A couple of more insults.

But I can only take so much stupidity, bile, and hate before I get sick. So...so long.

A couple of more insults and then the audacity to claim that others are the ones with “hate”.

Damn dude. Your hallucinations and projections are back! I think it’s time for another doctor’s visit. Would you like me to set it up? I want you to get the help you need.

The pertinent excerpts of S-1 Section 220 are:

(17) GRASSROOTS LOBBYING- The term `grassroots lobbying’ means the voluntary efforts of members of the general public to communicate their own views on an issue to Federal officials or to encourage other members of the general public to do the same.

`(B) PAID ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE THE GENERAL PUBLIC OR SEGMENTS THEREOF- The term `paid attempt to influence the general public or segments thereof’ does not include an attempt to influence directed at less than 500 members of the general public.

“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

By the way Don, you can find the legislation here.

That will take you to an official government site. It’s not “bullshit”, from a “far-right hate group”, a “total lie”, or from “far-right nitwits”.

It’s a real government site. No kidding.

It looks like the “illiteracy and lack of curiousity” was all yours. Your comments were filled with projection and a complete lack of substance. You could have just looked this up and saved us all from your nasty bile.

Since I’m dealing with a real hateful moron here, once again that website can be found here. Go down to section 220 and you can see what the adults were talking about.

The term `grassroots lobbying’ means the voluntary efforts of members of the general public to communicate their own views on an issue to Federal officials or to encourage other members of the general public to do the same.

That is in fact what I see my ‘job’ as a blogger being.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

The way I’m reading that, because I’ve got an audience larger than 500 readers and I get paid from my advertising the legislation in question would have me registering as a lobbyist.

I don’t see where I’m required to make $25,000/quarter...but maybe I’m missing something.

But regardless, even if this misses bloggers it’s going to impact things like talk radio.  Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, for example, have to make more than $25,000/quarter and their audiences are certainly larger than 500 people.  Are they going to have to register as lobbyists?

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

I blame this guy.

Coming from the guy who objected to Rob changing your avatar picture.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

I didn’t make the pic, I just stole it.

Did Rob take the picture that you objected to?

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

Don Meyers said:

Like 90% of the shit that comes from the far-right, this is a total lie. And you fell for it hook line and sinker.

Read my post over on the reader’s blog. I wrote about this a couple of days ago. This came straight from the left’s own mouth.

The left continues to amaze me. By the way, I don’t think this will pass because the left’s pet bloggers, Kos, Huffington, etc., will also be affected. In any event the very fact that this Stalinist bullshit is even seriously being contemplated ids damn scary. Like I said on my reader’s blog...be afraid, be very afraid.

The future ain’t what it used to be.....

Well isn’t that crap. My link to the government site no longer works. They need to overhaul that site.

Since I have to hold someone’s hand lest the baby go into another hateful rage, I’ll describe the process in getting to the bill.

1. Go to http://thomas.loc.gov/home/bills_res.html

2. Click “Search Bill Summary & Status”

3. Click “Senate Bills”

4. Click “S.1” at the top

5. Click “Text of Legislation” and then go to SEC. 220

There, the paranoid and delusional will see that this is not some right wing “total lie”.

I hope that helps. But the fact that I had to do such hand holding tells me that it probably doesn’t.

Rush etal would have to register if they received that money from the people on whose behalf they editorialize.  It has to be cash in exchange for grassroots lobbying.

I’m getting the 25k threshhold from a little lower in the bill, where it tells us what those people that qualify as lobbyists are required to do by the bill.

If this isn’t their intent then Harry Reid who introduced this bill would consent to an amendment that exempted talk radio and blogs.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

Rush etal would have to register if they received that money from the people on whose behalf they editorialize.

jpe,

A rational individual might well assume this to be the case, but someone intent on distracting or disrupting Rush, or others, could easily argue otherwise in court, leaving the whole question of payments and “behalfs” to federal judges at various levels.  I suspect Section 220 was specifically written with exactly that sort of pre-election mischief in mind.

“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

I guess they could have exempted talk radio, but if someone is taking payment in exchange for talking up a candidate, then that would seem to fall squarely within the conduct they’re attempting to guarantee will be disclosed. 

Bat: as I understand the law, there are two things that would be needed for your SLAAP suit tactic to work that aren’t present in the bill: a) prohibition of the conduct (this bill just requires registration); and b) a private right of action (any action would have to be brought by the FEC - they can still be scoundrels, but not any old yahoo can’t sue)

Let me add that my reply to Bat was aimed at trees, and I missed the forest - the bill is mightily vague.  If it were interpreted as factoring in in-kind donations (ie, political speech for which the speaker wasn’t paid*) as the FEC has tried to do with radio hosts in Seattle and the NASCAR driver with the Bush sticker), then there’s a loophole in the First Amendment that the FEC could drive a truck through.  A truck without any political bumper stickers, of course.

* That interpretation is an absolute travesty.

I’m getting the 25k threshhold from a little lower in the bill, where it tells us what those people that qualify as lobbyists are required to do by the bill.

Yes, I see that too, but that’s the definition for what is and is not a grassroots lobbying firm.

I see nothing in this legislation that limits it to grassroots lobbying firms exclusively or that requires the payments in question to come from the candidates or causes that benefit from the activity of the “lobbyist” or blogger or whatever in question.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

Numbers are just a start.  Similarily, first employers of X number had to have an “HRO” office, then those numbers were slowly reduced.  The same would happen to this attack on free speech.  I saw this coming about a year ago.  What’s next?  Talking on the telephones, across the backyard fence if more that three people are present?  Talk about NAZI tactics!

Communism is evil

jpe,

That hole through which you are aiming the truck was the result of a high energy projectile entitled McCain-Feingold, and the term “absolute travesty” is a weapons grade understatement.

That President Bush signed that noxious piece of legislation may be the single most abhorrent act his entire presidency.  That John McCain co-sponsored it is reason enough not to vote for him under any circumstances.

“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

I personally think the President’s Medicare prescription drug entitlement was the dumbest thing of his term in office, if only because that entitlement is going to be coming out of my wallet (along with all the SS money I pay which I’ll never see again) my whole life.

But campaign finance reform is a close #2.  And it’s also the reason why if McCain gets the GOP nod in 2008 I’ll be staying home from the election.  Or writing myself in for President or something.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

Ok, I think I get it.  The bill defines paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying (hereinafter “astroturfing”) as compensation to someone that’s trying to influence the public.  It expressly exempts people targeting < 500 people.  So now that we know bought bloggers are astroturfers, what does that mean?  Going through the rest of the bill, it expressly exempts non-firm astroturfers from registering.  So our bought blogger doesn’t have to register as a lobbyist unless he’s getting enough money to constitute a firm.

The only other thing the bill does is require the entity paying the bought blogger to disclose those payments.  So I think that’s the gist of it.

Registering, period, is an onerous burden that is in direct contradiction of the 1st Amendment. Death by 1000 cuts is the strategy being employed here, and it has been for the last 40 years. By members of both parties and by non-elected bureaucrats at State and Federal level.

During the 80s there was a pushing back of many of the velvet covered restrictions. Beginning in ‘95 efforts to suppress citizens discourse concerning the actions of governement, both elected and non, became more en vogue. Hence, McCain-Feingold.

And to give props where due, Feingold was down with suppression of citizens rights to communicate, congregate, or cohabitate long before McC got to the party.

Una Salus Victus Nullam Sperare Salutem

Don and others on the Left may make fun of their Leftist friends wanting to resurrect the Fairness Doctrine, but it was never and will never be applied fairly because the Left and only the Left defines what is a partisan broadcast and what is not. So, will we see conservatives given absolutely equal time with the ultra-liberal propaganda ministries such as - ABC, CBS and NBC news programs and morning shows? No! This is clear - it means forcing any program they consider moderate or conservative in nature to provide at their expense or taxpayer expense equal time for every segment minute for minute, thus killing any opinions that oppose liberal dogma.

Personally, I am still quite angry that McCain and Feingold were able to for all intent and purposes to amend the First Amendment of the Constitution absent the constitutionally mandated Amendment process. It is insane that America has not demanded this legislation be stopped and submitted to the states, as this legislation for the first time in our history makes political speech on behalf of or in opposition to any specific candidate a federal crime and thus free political speech no longer exists in this country.

Rob, I am curious why, out of 500 readers, so few participate. And why so few women participate. I thought Ellinass was a woman, guess not. I’m not educated or smart, don’t know what I am talking about half the time, but if I have anything I think is worthwhile to offer, I don’t mind defending it. Are people afraid to offer an oppinion or what?

Registering, period, is an onerous burden that is in direct contradiction of the 1st Amendment.

I don’t think registration is required.  It’s still an absurd law, as virtually all campaign finance reform is, but it doesn’t seem to be absurd because of its registration required (unless - and this is a huge unless - in-kind “donations” [ie, exercising free speech] are counted)

Rob, I am curious why, out of 500 readers, so few participate.

A lot of people just like to read, I guess.  I get emails from a lot of the people who don’t comment.

I know I don’t typically comment on other blogs.  Not often, anyway.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

One thing I like about your Web-site is your willingness to enter discussions and trade blows with everyone else. Not being disloyal to Barticles, my hometown blog, guess Mr. Hinkle, representing the newspaper, couldn’t do that.

Bart’s a friend, and a heck of a columnist, but I doubt he can get as down-and-dirty with his readers on his newspaper blog as I can here.

I’m a nobody.  Just a concerned citizen with a website.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

The left has the Main Stream Media, University prfoessors, Hollywood, Book publishers and much more on their side, they can not tolerate that the net is used by right wing bloggers to expose them for what they are.

And what they are is not pretty.

For the benefit of anyone still awake and interested, the Senate has passed the Bennett amendment which removes the odious Section 220 from Senate Bill S-1.

For now at least, we’re safe.

“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

I updated the post with that info a little while ago, but thanks for the heads up Bat.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

I looked at the voting record.  Turns out all of the ones that wanted to stifle free speech were demoncrats.

On the other hand credit goes to Dorgan and Conrad for voting right in this instance.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.