BMEWS
 

The End?

 
 


Posted by The Skipper    United States   on 01/03/2007 at 11:47 AM   
 
  1. The Communists have taken over, without firing a shot… witch Welcome to the USSA

    Posted by Rat Patrol    United States   01/03/2007  at  12:58 PM  

  2. Skipper, actually, I think you would be exempt from this proposed legislation.  You aren’t an organization in the sense of what is covered in the proposal.  Yes, you have registered users, but we aren’t members in the sense that we pay dues, attend meetings, etc.  This law seems to be targeted towards groups which are required to file tax returns (including those information returns from non-profits).  Unless you’ve incorporated BMEWS or otherwise legally organized, I think you’re safe.  Churches, on the other hand, seem to be a likely target of this though....

    Posted by Annoying_Mike    United States   01/03/2007  at  01:13 PM  

  3. I heat up the tar, you all bring the feathers and the rail.

    big_us_flag

    soapbox

    Posted by rudebadger    United States   01/03/2007  at  01:39 PM  

  4. Mike, I hope you’re right. I’m concerned that the donations I receive here (even though small - usually less than a few hundred dollars a year) may consitute “dues” of some sort. I’ve hired an attorney to look into it.

    Posted by The Skipper    United States   01/03/2007  at  01:49 PM  

  5. "Weeeellll, Mike,” purrs the Wicked Witch of the West, “all in good time, my pretties, all in good time. And his little dog, too!”

    Jeeez, and people blither about the Patriot Act and non-existent “lost liberties!”

    Okay, say this dumbassed idea actually passes, which it won’t*, here is what we do – judo**! Use the opponent’s strengths against him.

    1) we all start a blog,
    2) register 500 people (we can all register with each other)
    3) set up a boilerplate version of the reports with blanks where needed
    4) send in a report with receipt acknowledgment requested – daily!

    Can you see the bureaucracy come to a screeching smoking stinking halt from the overburden? Just comply, in spades, until the system cries uncle and actual freedom lovers get sent to office.

    *Pelosi et al think that dhymmies like her were put into office, but the new dems are much more moderate and far less likely to go for this sort of fascist claptrap.

    ** Old way to defeat the draft. Used to be, and may still be, that you have to report anytime you’d be away from your registered address for more than 2 weeks. So, file a report, daily. Within 2 weeks, the system would collapse!

    Posted by Rickvid in Seattle    United States   01/03/2007  at  01:53 PM  

  6. In addition, I think this will be an arena where the right and left blogs can get together - bi-partisanship from the people! I doubt that KOS or DU or whoever will accept this one as “taking a hit for the team.” They would not understand that concept anyhow - not self-serving enough.

    Posted by Rickvid in Seattle    United States   01/03/2007  at  02:06 PM  

  7. Not to worry Allan, I don’t think that they are after you. If cooler heads prevail, and I suspect they shall, this will never get out of the Legislature, at least not in the form that the most liberal of the Democrats envision. Even, if it gets to GW’s desk somehow, he has a veto stamp rattling around in the top drawer somewhere. I hope the ink hasn’t dried out from years of inactivity.

    One of the reasons the Democrats came to power was the general public’s disgust with corruption and influence peddling (thanks a lot Tom Delay and William Jefferson). The current Legislature is going to have to appear to make an effort to do something about it or risk the wrath of the electorate. The truth of the matter is, neither side really wants too many changes. Newt and the Republican revolution made the same noises after they came to power, but in the end, nothing changed very much. No rational politician really wants campaign finance reform or an end to lobbying.

    Don’t worry, be happy… Anything else is bad for the blood pressure. Don’t pull the plug on your web server just yet.

    Keep up the good work.

    Posted by Yellow Dog    United States   01/03/2007  at  02:18 PM  

  8. How come it’s the Libs and Donks who seek to limit the free expression of opinion?  Yet, Conservatives always get the blame?

    Seems to me that the new Fascist Party is the Donk Party.  Anyone surprised?  Must be a measure of the Conservative Blogosphere’s power that the Fascist Donks want to shut it down.

    But, then again, I state the obvious.

    I’ll continue to stockpile ammunition of military caliber.

    Posted by MAJ Mike    United States   01/03/2007  at  02:20 PM  

  9. Skipper, if I were you I wouldn’t waste money on a lawyer to interpret a law that hasn’t been drafted yet. I would at least wait until it gets put into effect. The lawyer will take your money, but really won’t be able to do anything for you.

    If you really want to spend some money on this issue RIGHT NOW, hire a lobbyist. (See those guys really can come in handy on occaisions…)

    Posted by Yellow Dog    United States   01/03/2007  at  02:39 PM  

  10. Yeller dawg, the law has been drafted and has been sitting on Nancy Pelosi’s desk for nearly a year. Republicans have kept it shelved in committee. All that is about to change.

    H.R.4682 - Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2006 (Introduced in House)

    http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.4682:

    Posted by The Skipper    United States   01/03/2007  at  03:09 PM  

  11. I still think that your money would be better spent on a lobbyist at this point, but do whatever you think you neeed to do.

    Posted by Yellow Dog    United States   01/03/2007  at  03:44 PM  

  12. Skipper, what’s that Mencken quote about freedom of the press being limited to those who own one?  Liberals just don’t like dissent.  This isn’t their only attempt to stifle other voices.  Anyone remember their shot at the National Rifle Association not too long ago?  Anyone care to cite other attempts?

    Frankly Rat Patrol, I consider the current crop of liberal Democrats much worse than the Communists.  You’re actually smearing the people who believed in the communist ideals with your comparison.  The only thing the current Democratic leadership seems to actually believe in is keeping and expanding their own power.  As far as double dealing, double speak and double think goes, yeah, the Democratic leadership is right up there with the Soviet Union in the days of Joseph Stalin.  Personally I have no love for either Fascists nor Communists.  Both depend upon severe limitations on the freedom of individual citizens.

    It bothered me considerably that individual liberals would engage in character assassination and various smear tactics in the past.  That a Congress with a Democratic majority would try to impose controls of any sort on the grass roots groups that have been the core of change in U.S. history is downright scary.  I took a quick scan of HR 4682.  It has lots of changing definitions depending on circumstances and references to other laws not immediately quoted.  Overall, a nasty piece to puzzle out.  It would take me a long time to research is properly.  I wonder who is researching it?  I doubt if it will be KOS or DU, probably not even Mother Jones (You want REAL liberals - check them out!).

    Skipper, think you could add one more flag?  “Don’t Tread On Me” comes to mind.

    Posted by Dr. Jeff    United States   01/03/2007  at  04:41 PM  

  13. Yeller Dawg, if you’re sure there is nothing to worry about, how about you agree to handle all legal fees when they come for me? I would feel so much better knowing that someone else will pick up the tab. If you’re that sure the Donks will not come after me and other bloggers give me an assurance in the form of a contract to provide all legal services in the event I am locked down. Put your money where your mouth is, pardner. Prove to me that these nice, cooperative Democrat friends of yours are not up to no good or shut the f**k up and admit that you don’t know WHAT they will pull next.

    cool mad

    Posted by The Skipper    United States   01/03/2007  at  09:12 PM  

  14. This would hurt blogs on both sides of the political spectrum.  Once the L^3 get their ox gored by this bill they would be quick to either rescind it or face the consequences.

    Posted by Kirk    United States   01/03/2007  at  09:13 PM  

  15. Skipper, thanks for removing the “real” picture of Pelosi poster girl for plastic surgery
    gone wrong. This one’s MUCH more appropriate!  LOL And in the words of Monty Python, “Burn the Witch”! .

    Posted by memoryleak    United States   01/04/2007  at  01:36 AM  

  16. Now that the dems have made their use of ‘grassroots lobbying’ organizations to get elected, they want to make sure that no one else can ever again. Guess they feel they are too much of a threat.

    Posted by Draven    United States   01/04/2007  at  04:02 AM  

  17. Jim Quinn’s Rule Number One: Liberalism ALWAYS generates the EXACT OPPOSITE of its stated intentions.  http://www.warroom.com

    Michael Savage’s Rule Number One:  Liberalism is a Mental Disorder.

    Velcome, Komrade, to the United Soviet Socialist States of Amerika. Ve haff vays of gaining your co-operation, Tovarisch. quoth Bela Pelosi.

    Posted by Rat Patrol    United States   01/04/2007  at  01:51 PM  

  18. Last thoughts.  There are some very serious 1st Amendment issues here.  BMEWS is very much a debating and venting group.  Yes, there are some very distinct political viewpoints that most of us agree on, but I have a hard time seeing the feds defining BMEWS as a lobbying group, no matter how weirdly the law is worded.  You’d have to define every group meeting around a cracker barrel and discussing the latest gossip as a lobbying group in order to make it stick.  Worst case, file an appeal with the 9th Circuit Court.  I don’t think they know a Democrat from a Republican and like to go against the government anyway.

    All kidding aside, if the new law were stretched far enough to give us a problem here, a lot of blogs, newsletters, newspapers, radio stations, magazines and any other media that carries an opinion would be classed as a lobbying group.  I honestly think we’re going to be safe, although we might have some very strange bedfellows if there’s a court fight.

    If all else fails, incorporate BMEWS in Belgium (privacy laws very similar to Switzerland) and keep it on servers in Finland (or anywhere far from Washington).  Then the feds can pi** up a rope - a foreign entity discussing U.S. and World politics - totally outside of federal control - we might even get U.N. protection!

    finger Pelosi

    P.S. look up Jane Harman - we might even get some inside help.  Pelosi just cut her off at the knees and I’ll bet she’d like a little payback.

    Posted by Dr. Jeff    United States   01/04/2007  at  05:03 PM  

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