Your Last Chance To Help Save Democracy Online!

[sarahlee]

Friday, June 3 = Deadline for Comments to the FEC re Political Activity on the Internet

More info:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/6/2/10531/11402

and

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/6/2/172512/8304

and

http://www.kucinich.us/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1312

If you don't feel like you are articulate enough to write on this subject PLEASE, go to the Center for Democracy and Technology and sign on to their eleven principles for how the FEC should proceed.
http://fec.cdt.org/signup.php

After the comment period closes, their wil be two days of live testimony at the end of the month, then the FEC has to vote on and approve regulations.

[tnlefty]

1. Thanks for posting this!

Done and :dem:

[sarahlee]

2. Thanks!

I was surprised I didnt' see any top posts about it - it is such a major issue for us cybernuts and democracy. If we don't influence this, then it is going to be the Corporate money with all the power - imagine, you could only access political sites for an hour at work or school!

[eridani]

5. Kick for deadline!

:kick:

[sarahlee]

3. Kicking because of the June 3 deadline

:kick:

[Eloriel]

4. I've never seen this before. Let's keep it kicked, people. IMPT!!

:kick:

[sarahlee]

6. Thanks!

:kick:

[sarahlee]

7. Some of the reasons your comments are needed

From the lawyer who is writing the comments for Markos, Atrios and BOPNews:

If bloggers are not considered under the media exemption, then everything they say can be considered an "in-kind contribution" to political campaigns, subject to reporting requirements, disclosure requirements and limits. Group blogs would become "political action committees" that would need to file. A blogger who incorporates would violate the law with the first word he said supporting a federal candidate. And more.

Let me give one example of a detail in the proposed regulations that you might be concerned with: under current regulations (11 CFR 114.9), employees and stockholders of a corporation, as well as officials, members, and employees of a labor organization, are allowed to use corporate or labor organization "facilities" for individual volunteer activities in connection with a Federal election, only if that use is "occasional, isolated, or incidental."

To be "occasional, isolated, or incidental", it cannot prevent the individual from carrying out her normal duties or interfere with the corporation or labor organization carrying out its normal activities. As a "safe harbor", you're automatically fine if it does not exceed one hour per week or four hours per month.

They'd like to extend this to your use of computers and email as well -- and, mind you, if you're doing this from your private college's computers or network, your school may well be legally incorporated.

So, is 1hr/week, 4hr/month enough time for you to read blogs and participate from work?

[lildreamer316]

8. Done and kicked!n/t

[sarahlee]

9. Kicking up for Friday

:kick: