NYT: Election Commission Urges Finance Rules for Online Politics

[DeepModem Mom]

Election Commission Urges Finance Rules for Online Politics
By GLEN JUSTICE

Published: March 25, 2005


WASHINGTON, March 24 - The Federal Election Commission on Thursday proposed new ways to apply campaign finance rules to online political activity, inviting members of the public to comment on how the agency should regulate things like online advertising and e-mailed political messages....

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The proposal suggests extending campaign finance rules that cover advertising in other media like television to cover Internet advertising as well, meaning, for example, that advertisements could not be bought using unlimited "soft money" contributions in many cases.

But it also proposes exemptions for political activity conducted by individual advocates, as well as for Web sites that carry news articles, commentary and editorial content. There are also proposed exemptions for state political parties.

Other provisions seem to indicate that the panel might be leaning away from heavy regulations on most "bloggers," whose online commentary played a major role in last year's election.


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/25/politics/25fec.html

[ProgressiveConn]

1. Our target should be banning corporate donations and corporate PACs.

[ElectroPrincess]

2. Yes, we need regulation and limited corporate control of our

political process. The Robber Barons of the early 1900s are back in charge of the government.