Saturday, February 10, 2007

Pelosi 'Muzzling Free Speech,' Conservatives Warn

We read:

"The Traditional Values Coalition warned that Pelosi is beginning her "tyrannical reign" with an aggressive plan to "muzzle" conservative groups through lobby reform.

According to TVC, Pelosi plans to attack the First Amendment right of conservative groups to freely lobby Members of Congress. Her plan is part of the Democrats' "lobby reform" legislation that she hopes to push through Congress within a few weeks....

TVC said the "draconian" legislation will require all groups that communicate with the grassroots -- even as few as 500 supporters -- to fill out "onerous" government reporting forms detailing the group's expenditures, the issues the group is focusing on, and the federal officials who are targeted for lobbying. A separate disclosure report would be required for each policy issue that the group is advocating. The legislation would impose severe civil and potentially criminal penalties against groups that fail to register, report or omit some required information in their reports, TVC said.

Conservatives see the legislation as a "thinly veiled" attempt to muzzle them, since the bill "cleverly exempts" trade unions and corporations from reporting when and what they communicate with their members

Source

Why should any American have to ask somebody's permission to communicate with other Americans?

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