------- Forwarded message follows -------
Subject: Congress Could Vote Tomorrow On Internet
Exemption From: "Gun Owners of America"
<Gun_Owners_of_America@capwiz.mailmanager.net> Date sent:
Wed, 15 Mar 2006 15:32:05 -0500 (EST)
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.org
Wednesday, 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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76.
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Lady Libertarian - United States of America
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