A Very Good Thing

A few weeks ago, a regular commenter asked me what I thought about a pending federal bill that would consider blog commentary as a "campaign contribution".

Then as now, I thought it was a stupid idea. We have a First Amendment right to an opinion. It doesn't - and shouldn't - matter if other people hear or read one's opinion; this blog (to pick an example) is no more a "political contribution" than a guy dragging a soapbox down to Nicollet Mall and standing up and speaking would be.

I am, of course, rigorously clear in disclosing any payments in cash or kind I receive for political appearances and writings that are offshoots from the radio show or this blog (to date: three dinners, five alcoholic beverages, and a slice of carrot cake. Really good carrot cake), which is something the mainstream media could stand to be better at (you hear me knocking, Dan "featured speaker at DFL fundraiser" Rather?)

That being said, some people have a warped view of the First Amendment, and have been dredging up more emanating penunbras allowing them to ration free speech; Russ Feingold and (as re campaign finance) John McCain are two of them. It's good to see that the Federal Election Commission has listened to sanity and upheld the First Amendment in its latest decision on online political commentary:

The Federal Election Commission decided Monday that the nation's new campaign finance law will not apply to most political activity on the Internet.

In a 6-0 vote, the commission decided to regulate only paid political ads placed on another person's Web site.

The decision means that bloggers and online publications will not be covered by provisions of the new election law. Internet bloggers [as opposed to what - verbal bloggers? - Ed.] and individuals will therefore be able to use the Internet to attack or support federal candidates without running afoul of campaign spending and contribution limits.

More or less the way we currently can use things like "our voices" and "the radio" to attack or support the candidates.

"It's a win, win, win," Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub said, adding that the rule would satisfy concerns of campaigns, individuals and the Internet community about whether the campaign finance law applies to Internet political activity.

The FEC made the right call.

Presuming (as have some commenters on this site, and some of the less-gifted area bloggers) that speaking in favor of a party makes one a puppet of the party might make for satisfying rhetoric, but it's wrong.

Posted by Mitch at March 28, 2006 07:43 AM | TrackBack