Freedom of speech - use it or lose it - A VICTORY. The power of the internet
is demonstrated.
This trial balloon at censorship was squashed last night. But they will try
again.
When they took away the 4th Amendment,
we were quiet,
because we didn't deal drugs.
When they took away the 6th Amendment,
we were quiet,
because we were innocent.
When they took away the 2nd Amendment,
we were quiet,
because we don't own guns.
Now they have taking away the 1st Amendment,
and very soon,
if we continue to be quiet,
we will have no choice,
but to be continue to be quiet.
Amendment I - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or
of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the Government for a redress of grievances.
It appears the "grassroot lobbying" insertion will be expunged from the
original S.1 Senate bill. It's not clear from the article below how this
occurred or who expedited it. What is also of interest is WHO put it there from
the start.
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070119/D8MOISAO0.html
"The Senate, on a 55-43 vote, approved an amendment pushed by Sen. Robert
Bennett, R-Utah, to strip a provision requiring reporting of "grass-roots"
lobbying."
It's right in between the two pictures of Obama.
It seems the non-profit group Democracy 21 furnished the citizen lobbying
insertion in S.1 which was fortunately defeated by senators led by Bennett &
Judd Gregg. This statement from Democracy 21 laments this successful Amendment.
Democracy 21 is registered with the IRS as a public charity 501(c)(3) org. For
want of no public outrage directed their way does not specify this 1st
Amendment restriction directly. It would seem Democracy 21 may have even
written this portion. It might be revealing to see who hired them as
"consultants" and who the leading contributors might be! As president, Fred
Wertheimer paid himself the taxpayer-subsidized annual salary of $175,167.
The 2005 Tax-Exempt Form 990 for Democracy 21 can be viewed here. Again,
Democracy 21 is nothing more than another example of a fox among the hens.
Wertheimer's "public charity" gets large chunks of funding from the Pew
Charitable trust and George Soros. All of this under the self-righteous moniker
of "ethics and lobbying reform", you understand. You know about Soros'
political leanings. Pew Trust is notorious for its funding of far left,
anti-American foundations and groups. The most Marxist of all is Pew's funding
of the Institute for Policy Studies. I have reported to you on IPS activities
repeatedly.
---------------------------------
Who are the totalitarians in our Senate?
The Senators who voted to throttle the voices of grass roots groups,
by to keeping the section 220 are shown below.
Section 220 would have made it possible to have criminal penalties, and even
jail time, for citizens who criticize or try to influence Congress.
The Senators in the list that is below, all voted for the SB 1 bill without
the Bennet Amendment.
Only Coburn and Hatch voted against the SB 1 bill.
The Bennet amendment removed the most outrageously totalitarian
part of the Senate bill S.1 .
Here are The Senators who voted NO on the Bennet amendment:
Akaka (D-HI)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Obama (D-IL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)
----------original message---------
In the original post of this message one of the URLS was censored by an
interesting tactic: The URL came through with "spaces" added to it.
If any of the URLs in this post does not load, please REMOVE the added
"spaces".
Totalitarianism is HERE: Criminal penalties, jail time, for citizens who
criticize or try to influence Congress.
U. S. Senate would impose criminal penalties, even jail time, on citizens who
criticize Congress.
Congress to Send Critics to Jail, Says Richard Viguerie
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
The following is a statement by Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman of
GrassrootsFreedom.com , regarding legislation currently being
considered by Congress to regulate grassroots communications:
"In what sounds like a comedy sketch from Jon Stewart's Daily Show,
but isn't, the U. S. Senate would impose criminal penalties, even jail
time, on grassroots causes and citizens who criticize Congress.
"Section 220 of S. 1, the lobbying reform bill currently before the
Senate, would require grassroots causes, even bloggers, who
communicate to 500 or more members of the public on policy matters, to
register and report quarterly to Congress the same as the big K Street
lobbyists. Section 220 would amend existing lobbying reporting law by
creating the most expansive intrusion on First Amendment rights ever.
For the first time in history, critics of Congress will need to
register and report with Congress itself.
"The bill would require reporting of 'paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying,' but defines 'paid' merely as communications to
500 or more members of the public, with no other qualifiers.
"On January 9, the Senate passed Amendment 7 to S. 1, to create
criminal penalties, including up to one year in jail, if someone
'knowingly and willingly fails to file or report.'
"That amendment was introduced by Senator David Vitter (R-LA). Senator
Vitter, however, is now a co-sponsor of Amendment 20 by Senator Robert
Bennett (R-UT) to remove Section 220 from the bill. Unless Amendment
20 succeeds, the Senate will have criminalized the exercise of First
Amendment rights. We'd be living under totalitarianism.
"I started GrassrootsFreedom. com to fight efforts to silence the
grassroots. The website provides updates in the legislation and has a
petition to sign opposing Section 220.
"Thousands of nonprofit leaders, bloggers, and other citizens have
hammered the Senate with calls in opposition to Section 220, which
seeks to silence the grassroots. The criminal provisions will scare
citizens into silence.
"The legislation regulates small, legitimate nonprofits, bloggers, and
individuals, but creates loopholes for corporations, unions, and large
membership organizations that would be able to spend literally
hundreds of millions of dollars, yet not report.
"Congress is trying to blame the grassroots, which are American
citizens engaging in their First Amendment rights, for Washington's
internal corruption problems."
CONTACT: Mark Fitzgibbons, +1-703-392-7676 or +1-703-408-3775, for
GrassrootsFreedom. com.
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/january2007/170107critics.htm
=============
Lobbying Bill Will Violate Free Speech And The Right To Freely Petition
Government
Washington, DC "The Traditional Values Coalition is deeply concerned about
the grassroots lobbying requirements in Section 220 of S.1, Legislative
Transparency and Accountability Act," said TVC Chairman Rev. Louis P. Sheldon
today. "Section 220 is a direct assault on the First Amendment and the right of
citizens to freely petition their government for a redress of grievances!
"This legislation will place onerous reporting requirements on individuals
and organizations that lobby our national leaders on issues of importance to
them. And, it will impose draconian fines including potential criminal
penalties for failure to obey these new lobby restrictions. "
Rev. Sheldon points out that Section 220 will target any organization with
more than 500 supporters or if a communication reaches 500 or more individuals.
Those affected include every blogger, every church, every non-profit or any
group that uses direct mail, telephone calls, newspaper or print ads, paid
organizers, radio and TV ads and Internet communications.
"The reporting requirements and penalties in Section 220 will place
incredible financial and time burdens on grassroots groups as well as potential
fines thus making it less likely that these groups risk communicating with
their members on important issues. This cleverly-written section doesn't
directly assault free speech, but it creates a climate of fear that chills free
speech," said Rev. Sheldon. "Will a small grassroots group speak out if it
fears being fined for failing to file the correct reports to Congress? This
legislation is a subversion of our First Amendment rights."
Rev. Sheldon notes that this will have a serious impact on pastors! "A
pastor, for example, who uses the church bulletin to oppose an anti-Christian
bill, will be considered a lobbyist and must register his church as a lobbying
firm! This is unacceptable!
"The curious thing about this legislation is that it exempts labor unions,
corporations and even foreign companies from these reporting requirements. Yet,
these are the entities that are most likely to engage in unethical lobbying
activities not small grassroots groups," said Rev. Sheldon.
"TVC is calling on the U.S. Senate to support the Bennett amendment to remove
the grassroots provisions from S. 1. This section clearly tramples on our First
Amendment rights to free speech and the right of every citizen to petition his
government!
Visit:
http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=24769
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000003607.cfm
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c110:1:./temp/~c110Vh5DhK:e38473:
S.1 To provide greater transparency in the legislative process. (Placed on
Calendar in Senate)
---------------------------------
SEC. 220. DISCLOSURE OF PAID EFFORTS TO STIMULATE GRASSROOTS LOBBYING.
(a) Definitions- Section 3 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1602) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (7), by adding at the end of the following: `Lobbying
activities include paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying, but do not
include grassroots lobbying.'; and
(2) by adding at the end of the following:
`(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.
`(18) PAID EFFORTS TO STIMULATE GRASSROOTS LOBBYING-
`(A) IN GENERAL- The term `paid efforts to stimulate grassroots
lobbying' means any paid attempt in support of lobbying contacts on behalf of a
client to influence the general public or segments thereof to contact one or
more covered legislative or executive branch officials (or Congress as a whole)
to urge such officials (or Congress) to take specific action with respect to a
matter described in section 3(8)(A), except that such term does not include any
communications by an entity directed to its members, employees, officers, or
shareholders.
`(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.
`(C) REGISTRANT- For purposes of this paragraph, a person or entity is
a member of a registrant if the person or entity--
`(i) pays dues or makes a contribution of more than a nominal amount
to the entity;
`(ii) makes a contribution of more than a nominal amount of time to
the entity;
`(iii) is entitled to participate in the governance of the entity;
`(iv) is 1 of a limited number of honorary or life members of the
entity; or
`(v) is an employee, officer, director or member of the entity.
`(19) GRASSROOTS LOBBYING FIRM- The term `grassroots lobbying firm' means
a person or entity that--
`(A) is retained by 1 or more clients to engage in paid efforts to
stimulate grassroots lobbying on behalf of such clients; and
`(B) receives income of, or spends or agrees to spend, an aggregate of
$25,000 or more for such efforts in any quarterly period.'.
(b) Registration- Section 4(a) of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1603(a)) is amended--
(1) in the flush matter at the end of paragraph (3)(A), by adding at the
end the following: `For purposes of clauses (i) and (ii), the term `lobbying
activities' shall not include paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying.';
and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
`(4) FILING BY GRASSROOTS LOBBYING FIRMS- Not later than 45 days after a
grassroots lobbying firm first is retained by a client to engage in paid
efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying, such grassroots lobbying firm shall
register with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of
Representatives.'.
(c) Separate Itemization of Paid Efforts To Stimulate Grassroots Lobbying-
Section 5(b) of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1604(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3), by--
(A) inserting after `total amount of all income' the following:
`(including a separate good faith estimate of the total amount of income
relating specifically to paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying and,
within that amount, a good faith estimate of the total amount specifically
relating to paid advertising)'; and
(B) inserting `or a grassroots lobbying firm' after `lobbying firm';
(2) in paragraph (4), by inserting after `total expenses' the following:
`(including a good faith estimate of the total amount of expenses relating
specifically to paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying and, within that
total amount, a good faith estimate of the total amount specifically relating
to paid advertising)'; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
`Subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph (2) shall not apply with respect to
reports relating to paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying activities.'.
(d) Good Faith Estimates and De Minimis Rules for Paid Efforts To Stimulate
Grassroots Lobbying-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 5(c) of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1604(c)) is amended to
read as follows:
`(c) Estimates of Income or Expenses- For purposes of this section, the
following shall apply:
`(1) Estimates of income or expenses shall be made as follows:
`(A) Estimates of amounts in excess of $10,0000 shall be rounded to the
nearest $20,000.
`(B) In the event income or expenses do not exceed $10,000, the
registrant shall include a statement that income or expenses totaled less than
$10,000 for the reporting period.
`(2) Estimates of income or expenses relating specifically to paid
efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying shall be made as follows:
`(A) Estimates of amounts in excess of $25,000 shall be rounded to the
nearest $20,000.
`(B) In the event income or expenses do not exceed $25,000, the
registrant shall include a statement that income or expenses totaled less than
$25,000 for the reporting period.'.
(2) TAX REPORTING- Section 15 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1610) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking `and' after the semicolon;
(ii) in paragraph (2), by striking the period and inserting `; and';
and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
`(3) in lieu of using the definition of paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying in section 3(18), consider as paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying only those activities that are grassroots expenditures as
defined in section 4911(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.'; and
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking `and' after the semicolon;
(ii) in paragraph (2), by striking the period and inserting `; and';
and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
`(3) in lieu of using the definition of paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying in section 3(18), consider as paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying only those activities that are grassroots expenditures as
defined in section 4911(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.'.
SEC. 222. EFFECTIVE DATE. This subtitle and the amendments made by
this subtitle shall take effect January 1, 2008.
---------------------------------
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