As loathe as I normally am to praise Sen. Harry Reid, he has earned some respect by introducing a Senate bill to prevent the FEC from regulating political speech on the Internet. (More background on the attempted regulations can be found here.)
The application of the rules of BCRA/McCain-Fengold Act on the Internet would have a major chilling effect on free speech on the Internet. Sen. Reid is correct to ensure that the multiplicity of voices on both the left and the right are not silenced by ham-handed overregulation. Despite the attempts by FEC officials to deny such a thing would happen, as Red State’s Mike Krempasky has repeatedly uncovered, those denials leave much to be desired in terms of protecting free speech on the Internet.
It’s heartening to see Sen. Reid taking a firm stance on the right side of the issue, and Senate Republicans should join their counterparts across the aisle in fighting the erosion of political speech on the Internet.
Amen. I’m new to Nevada (Vegas, baby) and haven’t taken the time to look into the local political scene, but so far I’ve been far from pleased with Reid’s actions so far.
This however deserves accolades. Way to go Sen. Reid, although I’m a little worried about the qualifying words “at this time” in the following correspondence with Scott Thomas, Chairman of the FCC:
Regulation of the Internet at this time, with its blogs and other novel features, would blunt its tremendous potential, discourage broad political involvement in our nation and diminish our representative democracy.
(from Cap’n’s Quarters)