South Carolina Lawmaker Wants to Register Journalists With the Government
Source: Time
Republican State Rep. Mike Pitts said he's not a press hater
Melissa Chan @melissalchan 4:59 PM ET
A South Carolina lawmaker on Tuesday introduced a bill that would require journalists in the state to be listed in a registry and vetted before they are hired by a media outlet.
Republican State Rep. Mike Pitts said the legislation would create a panel of experts to determine if a person qualifies as a journalist, similar to the process doctors and lawyers go through, The Post and Courier reports.
The bill, titled South Carolina Responsible Journalism Registry Law, would also keep a responsible journalism registry and outline requirements for reporters to reach before they can work in the media. Journalists would also face minor fines if they violate the law.
Pitts, who last year made headlines for his efforts to keep the Confederate flag flying at the South Carolina State House, told The Post and Courier he is not a press hater and said the bill is needed to make sure journalists adhere to a code of ethics. He added that the bill is at least partially in response to the press demonizing guns and gun ownership.
Read more: http://time.com/4185928/journalist-registry-south-carolina-pitts/
Kingofalldems
(38,454 posts)who was a WH correspondent back during Bush 2.
Jerry442
(1,265 posts)You can count on that. Don't know about his press credentials.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)malthaussen
(17,193 posts)deathrind
(1,786 posts)Ceases to amaze me at how flexible republicans are on "certain" constitutional amendment and not on others.
Oddly enough there is a direct correlation to their like or dislike of certain amendment and their flexibility. Take for instance the 2nd amendment, suggest that it may need to be revamped in order to be more in line with today's technology and they are adamantly against it. Yet most of them are all for revamping the 14th amendment to remove birth right citizenship. Now apparently this republican has an issue with the first amendment...
Elmer S. E. Dump
(5,751 posts)tabasco
(22,974 posts)"We think fascism is cool!"
One of these jerk wads who claims he "loves the Constitution," no doubt.
jpak
(41,757 posts)yup
Xithras
(16,191 posts)After doing a bit more reading, it looks like the guy doesn't really want to register journalists. He apparently took some of the various gun control concepts currently being discussed and replaced "gun" with "journalist." His goal was to demonstrate the effect of the proposed gun regulations when they're applied to another consitutionally protected subject. It's a "If these regulations are good for one amendment, why not another" argument.
groundloop
(11,518 posts)sword, gun, who's counting?
KoKo
(84,711 posts)I grew up there and Left it. I wanted to find a more Inclusive Environment than existed there.
Always remember that Joe Biden loves Big Bucks and Repub Owner of Kiawah Island Resort and Democrats have been big visitors to Kiawah Island for Conferences, etc., through the years.
South Carolina seems to hold (since the aftermath of the Confederacy) a special place in Both Party's Hearts!
Don't believe me? Listen to the MSM Coverage about the POWER of the SC VOTE in the Coming Election.
TRUST but VERIFY!
AleksS
(1,665 posts)Nevermind. (Post was addressed upthread!)
elmac
(4,642 posts)or are they exempt under Christian jihadist states rules.
appalachiablue
(41,131 posts)blackspade
(10,056 posts)Was he qualified to be a lawmaker before he was elected?
Matthew28
(1,798 posts)lordsummerisle
(4,651 posts)we should drug test them too
...
nwduke
(350 posts)Sounds like old totalitarian regimes. We only want you to see what we want you to see.
Kablooie
(18,632 posts)Grating minds think alike.
BobTheSubgenius
(11,563 posts)Sounds pretty First Amendmenty to me.