GEEZ :!
U.S. House Will Vote Soon on Whether to Ditch John McCain's Internet
Regulations
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.orgWednesday, March 15, 2006
The U.S. House of Representatives will vote, as early as Thursday, on
legislation introduced by Texas Congressmen Jeb Hensarling and Ron
Paul. This bill (H.R. 1606) will exempt the Internet from regulation
under federal "electioneering" laws.
Unless the Hensarling-Paul bill is successful, 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.
How did we arrive at such a dismal state?
You may remember that, a half-decade ago, Senator John McCain (R-AZ)
pushed a McCain-Feingold bill which, as enacted, prohibits
organizations from engaging in major "broadcast communications" which
even mention a candidate in a favorable or unfavorable light within
60 days of a general election (30 days of a primary).
Senate Republicans rolled over -- and George Bush signed the bill --
based on the assumption that the Supreme Court would surely save them
from their unconstitutional legislation. But, in McConnell v.
Federal Election Commission, 540 U.S. 93 (2003), the Supreme Court,
by a five-to-four decision, upheld McCain-Feingold, almost in its
entirely.
To its enormous credit, the conservative Federal Election Commission
(FEC), in the wake of the McConnell case, moved to narrowly interpret
the statute -- exempting the Internet entirely from McCain-Feingold.
But in Shays v. Federal Election Commission, 337 F.Supp.2d 28 (D.C.,
20004), a federal judge ordered the FEC to regulate the Internet.
The FEC is doing everything in its power to minimize the impact of
the Shays ruling.
But, there is certainly a danger that, if Hensarling and Paul are
unsuccessful in exempting the Internet from FEC regulation, many
major blogs and web sites will 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: Contact your congressman. Ask him to vote for H.R. 1606, a
bill to exempt the Internet from McCain-Feingold. Time is short, so
please CALL rather than e-mail your representative. (You can use the
sample text below to help direct your comments.) The toll-free
number to call your representative is 877-762-8762. If you can't
get through, the Capitol Switchboard number is 202-225-3121.
----- Sample phone text -----
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 successful, 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.
****************************
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