Save Our Blogs Dear friend,
A federal judge has ordered the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to draft regulations imposing stiff regulations on individual websites, blogs, and even emails. These new regulations could compel you to register with the government, fill out complicated forms, and keep detailed records. You could trigger these regulations by . . . - Forwarding a campaign press release using email. - Posting a campaign ad on your blog. - Linking to a candidate's website from your home page. If you place a link to a candidate's website in your blog, and thousands of people visit the candidate's site through that link, the FEC could determine that the value of that extra traffic exceeds the campaign contribution limits. And then you'll be in big trouble. Failure to comply with the FEC's contribution limits, accounting, registration, and reporting requirements, could result in large fines or imprisonment. You will be subject to these new regulations but the established corporate news media will not. If you publicize candidates on the web or via email, you could create big trouble for yourself, but NewYorkTimes.com can do the exact same thing with no trouble. DownsizeDC.org is waging an electronic lobbying campaign to repeal BCRA, the law that has paved the way for these new regulations. Please go to http://www.DownsizeDC.org right now and use their easy Electronic Lobbyist system to send a message to your representatives in Congress asking them to preserve free expression on the Internet. When you get there, click on the link under "Save Our Blogs" to read more about this issue and send your message to Congress. I know a lot of you who read my weblog also run your own weblog. This petition is very important. Visit DownsiceDC.org today! Come to DownsizeDC.org to learn more: http://action.downsizedc.org/wyc.php?cid=19 _______________________________________________ Times mailing list [email protected] http://trommetter.org/mailman/listinfo/times_trommetter.org
