Sending Bloggers To Prison

I will go on record now as saying I will NOT comply with any program that lumps bloggers - the vast number of us unpaid and without any political affiliations -together with fatcat corrupt lobbyists or requires us to "register". If that means I'll be one of the token first to face prison, so be it. It won't be the worst thing this administration has done to me, trust me.

This is in follow up to my immediately previous post here on how the White House Correspondents group does not want any criticism of Mr. Bush at its dinner.

From InfoWars (and thanks to the many folks who sent me this link Thursday):

You'd be forgiven for thinking that it was some new restriction on free speech in Communist China. But it isn't.

The U.S. Government wants to force bloggers and online grassroots activists to register and regularly report their activities to Congress in the latest astounding attack on the internet and the First Amendment.

Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman of GrassrootsFreedom.com, a website dedicated to fighting efforts to silence grassroots movements, states:

"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."

In other words Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats may redefine the meaning of lobbying in order that political communications to and even between citizens falls under the same legislation.

Under current law any 'lobbyist" who 'knowingly and willingly fails to file or report." quarterly to the government faces criminal charges including a possible jail term of up to one year.

The amendment is currently on hold.

This latest attack on bloggers comes hot on the heels of Republican Senator John McCain's proposal to introduce legislation that would fine blogs up to $300,000 for offensive statements, photos and videos posted by visitors on comment boards.

McCain's proposal is presented under the banner of saving children from sexual predators and encourages informants to shop website owners to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, who then pass the information on to the relevant police authorities.

It keeps getting worse. Read it all here.