Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : The Castle -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lane3 who wrote (4532)	3/4/2005 7:01:34 PM
From: TimF	Respond to of 7936

I think if you really try to control campaign finace you wind up conroling political speech. But perhaps this particular attempt won't go anywhere. FEC member Danny McDonald, a Democratic appointee, called Smith’s comments an “overstatement” and the reaction to it unwarranted. McDonald said Smith may have just been trying to generate comments in advance of the broader rulemaking on campaign-finance law. “Maybe he’s playing to a particular constituency,” McDonald said. He acknowledged that whether the law should apply to bloggers in any way most likely will be discussed, especially in light of Smith’s comments. But he added, “It’s all going to be aired publicly, and we’ll have a great discussion about what we should and shouldn’t do.” Ellen Weintraub, another Democratic appointee, was more emphatic. “The notion that the FEC is going to go out there and shut down blogs is preposterous,” she said. “Not going to happen.” She also said nobody at the agency, including her, “is interested in regulating bloggers.” Democratic Rep. Martin Meehan of Massachusetts, a key supporter of the campaign-finance law, chastised Smith. “The idea that the FEC would be forced to regulate individual bloggers or people’s private e-mail lists is about as believable as the ‘Bill 602P’ hoax about Congress imposing a 5-cent tax on every e-mail,” he said in an e-mailed statement. “It’s regrettable that this kind of misinformation is being spread by those whose job is to enforce the campaign laws.” While Smith said in a telephone interview that he did not intend to be “overly alarmist” and believes the FEC “is sensitive to these issues,” he questioned Weintraub’s contention. “I think there are clearly people who want to regulate bloggers,” he said. littlegreenfootballs.com