Sound Politics: A Knoll Lowney "Lawsuit" Waiting to Happen

November 12, 2008

A Knoll Lowney "Lawsuit" Waiting to Happen

The PDC is mulling the idea of regulating bloggers, requiring lobbyist-style public disclosure of their activity.

The Liberty Live blog has been on the story, here and here. Goldy has offered some thoughts, with which I agree (minus the Blethen stuff):

If the PDC were to adopt such rules, they would instantly become a playground for harassing bloggers, with organizations and individuals filing PDC complaints willy nilly. Such rules would also be a major lawsuit waiting to happen...

Clearly, the PDC folks in question aren't exactly savvy on how technology in the modern era of politics and political commentary operates. Not that such buffoonery would stop Knoll Lowney if he saw an election to influence via the court system.

My only question: will Evergreen Progress pay for that "lawsuit" too?

I take that back, this question too: what exactly is the point of a blogger like me disclosing this grand sum: $0?

Posted by Eric Earling at November 12, 2008 08:17 PM | Email This

Comments

1. You know, with the direction the left is preparing to take America, Russia may not look so bad in a few years.

Do you think the clowns who voted for Gregoire and Obama will even notice when their rights disappear?

Posted by: Reality on November 12, 2008 09:18 PM

2. You know, Reality, you are actually quite correct. Every month I see more and more personal rights granted in China, and at the same time I see more and more rights restricted in the US.

China is moving towards where the US was 40 years ago, in terms of the economy and personal freedoms. The US is moving towards where China was 40 years ago...

Posted by: Shanghai Dan on November 12, 2008 11:44 PM

3. I will start my own blog and blog like he double hockey sticks for ever Dem out there so they have to defend it. (Wait so would HA worshippers on the R's) So they all would be court marshaled shot and sent to the Russian Front by the PDC.

Heck I got Sergeant Krebs taken care of that way. I still like the way Lebeau did the disappearing ink peace sign on the shirt.

Where in the he double hockey sticks is the (shultz on) Reeeegguuuulation (/shultz) of the newspapers and TV .

Because they are behind it...who is guarding the guards? Where and when do the newspapers get held accountable for urinating on the tomb of the unknown?

This is an outrageous proposal. (Soviet marching music kicks on)

Posted by: Col. Hogan on November 13, 2008 08:41 AM

4. Thanks for pointing out the story, Eric. I understand that the PDC is grappling with how to regulate the Internet activities of registered lobbyists, but this has the dangerous potential of snagging up private citizens who happen to be online with their legislative opinions.

Posted by: Mike Reitz on November 13, 2008 08:45 AM

5. Mr. Hogan, you have a pipper of an idea there. At this point I have two URLs devoted to blogs. I may tag-line one "Where Liberal Opinion Is The Only Opinion" or something like that and see what happens. Use the same content just a different statement of purpose. Would that save me?

This is for sure, if the PDC or anybody else comes ofter me, I'll just shut down instantly. Just the least bit of hassle and I'm gone.

The stuff I'm hearing all over now is just damned scary. No wonder ammo sales are up 30%+. In fact it's getting hard to find some calibers, with many being sold out.

This Obamaland is going to be a nasty place indeed for those not in the preferred group. Get ready.

Posted by: G Jiggy on November 13, 2008 11:30 AM

6. Liberals, who claim to be the defenders of civil rights, have been embarked on a campaign to restricts the for years. Limiting the scope and application of the 1st Amendment is a major strategy. McCain-Feingold, Internet Neutrality, stacked government agencies that can regulate political activities and speech, are some of the tactics.

Then, the onslaught on constitutionally protected private property rights by judicial activists is another example, but that is off-topic for this post.

Posted by: Paddy on November 13, 2008 12:57 PM

7. Eric: You misspelled the lawyer's last name. It is (C)lowney.

Posted by: John425 on November 13, 2008 03:02 PM

8. Has it occurred to anyone that the idea is not to shut down free speech directly but to (indirectly) tax it out of existence. I don't have time to track down the link but I read that in a recent survey professional people who ought to know how to do this were universally unable to correctly fill out required forms for the FEC. Perhaps the goal of the PDC is to put bloggers out of business with fines, or the threat of fines, for incorrectly reporting their contributions of $0.00.

Posted by: Carol on November 14, 2008 05:53 AM