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Date Posted: 11:42:18 12/07/05 Wed
Author: KathyT
Subject: I was going to say "Only in Washington State"-

Then I realized that sadly, my state is not the only one that has gone crazy with unreasonable and unthinkable politics! This nation is sadly overrun with Gadianton Robbers.

Under these rules, the church would have to exercise extreme caution about urging members to follow God ordained rules... such as gay marriages. The church would have have been able to advise members to fight the Equal Rights amendment. This is an attack on freedom of worship as well as free speech.

*************

Last summer, a Washington State judge ruled that on-air advocacy of an initiative to repeal a gas tax equaled a campaign donation. So it must be reported to the state's Public Disclosure Commission.

The sponsor of the initiative sued, but the ruling has now been upheld by Superior Court Judge Chris Wickham. He says talk show hosts advocating the repeal are indeed subject to campaign finance rules. Because, he wrote, "open advocacy of the campaign demonstrated their intention to use valuable media time to support the campaign..."

The Internet has also been targeted by the backwash of McCain-Feingold law. What's next? Don't newspaper op-eds use "valuable media space"? Doesn't any political controversy involving the possibility of legislation have something to do with some kind of campaign?

Free speech is priceless, if it's free. Once you make it the law of the land that whenever our gabbing might actually have an impact, it therefore becomes monetarily valuable and must be reported as a contribution -- well, the potential for troublemaking is endless. Who's going to decide how much the speech is "worth" . . . and how much is "too much"? Who's going to decide whether you should be fined or jailed for talking without filing some form?

That wouldn't be the denizens of the same political establishment you're criticizing, would it?


Well, let's keep talking anyway. In fact, we must.

This is Common Sense. I'm Paul Jacob.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in Common Sense are Paul Jacob's and may not necessarily represent the position of Americans for Limited Government, Americans for Limited Government Foundation, U.S. Term Limits or the U.S. Term Limits Foundation. Paul's Common Sense commentaries are heard on radio stations nationwide and on the Internet.

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