Among other things, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says: "Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech...."
But John McCain and a few power-hungry Washington politicians apparently don't believe in freedom of speech.They want to abridge it and abridge itand abridge it - until people like you and me are bound and gagged and helpless.
That way, only government-approved folks like the New York Times or CBS News will be able to criticize politicians and analyze campaign issues without risking a stiff fine or an all-expenses-paid vacation to a federal prison.
Here's what's about to happen:
McCain-Feingold -- passed in 2002 - makes it next to impossible for non-profit issue-oriented groups like the National Rifle Association and the National Right to Life Committee (and the Center for Individual Freedom) to sponsor ads criticizing or supporting the legislative positions of our elected officials 60 days prior to federal elections.
In other words, it muzzles your voice and the tens of thousands of otheractivists at a time when it's most important - during an election.That same year, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) wisely voted 4-2 to exclude the Internet from these speech-stifling provisions.
But McCain, Feingold, and other liberal incumbents - outraged that freedom of speech still survived on the Internet -- went to court.
The venue: a federal court presided over by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly - a Clinton nominated judge. Big surprise: Clinton's judgeruled that the FEC's exemption of the Internet was a violation of McCain-Feingold -- after all, the FEC exemption guaranteed free political speech to a lot of ordinary folks.
The House quickly introduced the Online Freedom of Speech Act (H.R. 1606) a bill to undo this anti-First-Amendment ruling, but at that time the bill required a two-thirds vote since it didn't go through committee. It passed by a solidmajority (225-182), but fell short of two-thirds.
Now H.R. 1606 is back in the House - and THIS TIME IT WILL TAKE ONLY A SIMPLE MAJORITY vote to pass. A similar bill (S. 678) is before the Senate.
But we have to ACT NOW because a vote -- to preserve free speech on the Internet -- will come ANY DAY NOW... possibly this week!
Use the hyperlink below to send your URGENT Blast Fax messages to President George W. Bush, the leadership of the United States Senate and the leadership of the United States House of Representatives.
Tell them that you are outraged that a federal judge ordered the FEC to extend McCain-Feingold to the Internet. Tell them that the Founding Fathers would be rolling over in their graves if they knew that incumbent politicians wanted to completely silence their critics.
Demand that they reaffirm the First Amendment by voting "yes" on H.R. 1606 and S. 678.
http://www.cfiflistmanager.org/hr1606.html
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