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Florida bill would require bloggers who write about the governor and legislators to register with the state

Athanasius68 said:
And "others" are hiring the lobbyist to express the employers free speech.
Just like this where a blogger is being paid by somebody else to write-- to seek to influence-- other people.

BTW-- the proposed legislation doesn't target people who only write about Republicans.
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Nope, Lobbyists are there to influence politicians. Personally, I do not like that our government allows lobbyists...but they do. A blogger is an opinion writer...this board is an example of blogging.
 
Arlette said:
The Meathead suffers from megalomania
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I wouldn't even go so far as to dignify him with the term "meathead". Now "artificial, ersatz, meat-like, substitute head", I'd go along with.

The man is as genuine as a vegan T-bone steak.
 
Yo Daddy! said:
The enemies of America have exploited the vulnerabilities of our current systems to help empower their anti American agendas.

There previously was no need to enact methods to hold reporters accountable. Their Christian/Judeo ethos kept them in line.

But today, Christian morality is gone, so new rules must be created to keep 'journalists' honest, ethical and accurate.

the constitution was made for a moral people at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.
duckduckgo.com duckduckgo.com
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Since when were journalists required to be either honest, ethical, or accurate?

You do know that the "era of honest, ethical, and accurate journalism" in America spanned the period from about 1955 to 1975, don't you?

You do know that the Founding Fathers had no "Original Expectation" that "the press" would be anything other than biased and partisan (because that was what the press was in those days), don't you?
 
SMTA said:
Or blog from FL using a VPN that shows Europe.
**** DeSantis.
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It doesn't matter what your VPN shows, if you write about Mr. DeSantis or any other Florida legislator (and get paid as little as $0.02 per year for doing so), you have to register REGARDLESS of where you are.

It's The Law.
 
SMTA said:
I may just start an anti-DeSantis blog here in good old Ohio just to be an asshole
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Please do so.

Let me know when you do and I'll use a "Florida VPN" to report your criminal activity, deluge the Governor's office with complaints that your blatantly criminal activity is being ignored (and covered up) by the "Deep State Minions" that have infiltrated the Florida state government and DEMAND that "something be done".
 
ClaraD said:
Nope, Lobbyists are there to influence politicians. Personally, I do not like that our government allows lobbyists...but they do.
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Paid bloggers are there to influence politicians as well...
Lobbyists are 'allowed' because people are allowed to "petition the government for a redress of grievances"
That is also in the 1st amendment
ClaraD said:
A blogger is an opinion writer...this board is an example of blogging.
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Except the the proposal is directed only against those who are being paid for what they write...
 
Yo Daddy! said:
It just seems as though those on the Left call anyone who disagrees with them a Nazi or a fascist.

That's a good indicator that Democrats are immature.
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And those on "the (American) Right" who call anyone who disagrees with them a Communist or a fascist are, of course, acting in a most appropriate adult and mature manner - right?
 
Athanasius68 said:
Paid bloggers are there to influence politicians as well...
They are 'allowed' because people are allowed to "petition the government for a redress of grievamces."
That is also in the 1st amendment


Except the the proposal is directed only against those who are being paid for what they write...
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No, bloggers are there to blog...they are writers and are not going to force anyone to listen to them. A lobbyist is much different than a blogger. I can write about something until the cows come home and my two senators may never come across it....a lobbyist will be inviting them to dinner and giving them a spill on how much they will get in donations if they just pass x bill.

No it is being proposed against anyone who wants to write about DeSantis...
 
Athanasius68 said:
Paid bloggers are there to influence politicians as well...
Lobbyists are 'allowed' because people are allowed to "petition the government for a redress of grievances"
That is also in the 1st amendment


Except the the proposal is directed only against those who are being paid for what they write...
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I guess that you missed the fact that the blogger need not actually be employed by anyone to fall into the "receives money" category. All that would be required would be for the blogger to have one "click through" ad on their site and if they receive as little as $0.001 per click then they are "receiving money" for their blog.
 
Eh it's not exactly that black and white with bloggers.
They can be used as mouth pieces for a a political group as well. How they make money really doesn't matter.
On the low end this place is a blog with people voicing their opinions.
A lobbyist and blogger are not the same though. That's for sure
 
Hamish Howl said:
I came to this thread knowing that Paradoxical would be defending this bullshit, and I was not disappointed.
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Florida has "freedom of the press" written right into its constitution.

SECTION 4. Freedom of speech and press.—Every person may speak, write and publish sentiments on all subjects but shall be responsible for the abuse of that right. No law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press. In all criminal prosecutions and civil actions for defamation the truth may be given in evidence. If the matter charged as defamatory is true and was published with good motives, the party shall be acquitted or exonerated.

Mr. DeSantis reads that as

SECTION 4. Freedom of speech and press.—Every person who is registered with the government of Florida and who has obtained the requisite licence to do so may speak, write and publish sentiments on all subjects but shall be responsible for the abuse of that right. No law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press (except, of course, that they must possess the requisite governmental permissions and permits). In all criminal prosecutions and civil actions for defamation the truth may be given in evidence. If the matter charged as defamatory is true and was published with good motives, the party shall be acquitted or exonerated.
 
PoS said:
It'll be struck down in court, so it doesnt matter what he thinks.
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It should be struck down. It probably will be. But the intimidation that comes with it, the expense of having to litigate to defend rights we assume should exist...that survives the court challenge, regardless of the result.

It's just like how for many years prior to Roe v Wade, there were many bills passed in legislatures whose authors and signatories knew the efforts would ultimately fail but did so anyway because they knew the fight itself was exhausting. When state power turns hostile to liberty, that in and of itself becomes a problem, regardless of what courts ultimately decide.
 
Yo Daddy! said:
Why not engage me like a person talks to a person instead of having a cliche contest to see who's got the biggest, baddest preconceived notions?
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Why would anyone want to engage you in a "contest to see who's got the biggest, baddest preconceived notions" when they know that you will always win?
 
Athanasius68 said:
I think the idea was that a PAID blogger need to register.
Just like a PAID lobbyist has to registered.

The Florida proposal isn't going anywhere. Only one rep introduced the bill and he has no sponsors.
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Governments and legislators very seldom introduce "test bills" that embody things that they DO NOT want to do.
 
Plasmaball said:
Eh it's not exactly that black and white with bloggers.
They can be used as mouth pieces for a a political group as well. How they make money really doesn't matter.
On the low end this place is a blog with people voicing their opinions.
A lobbyist and blogger are not the same though. That's for sure
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Lobbying and blogging are not the same thing. Blogging is public discourse that anyone can access or see. Lobbying is specific direct communication that is intended to influence specific public officials and specific regulation or legislation. There's also usually fundraising and representing specific business or political interests.
 
Bloggers and lobbyists are not the same things. Being paid to express an opinion is not the same as being paid to exact a specific outcome from a politician.
 
TU Curmudgeon said:
I wouldn't even go so far as to dignify him with the term "meathead". Now "artificial, ersatz, meat-like, substitute head", I'd go along with.

The man is as genuine as a vegan T-bone steak.
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How about potted meathead?
 
Plasmaball said:
Eh it's not exactly that black and white with bloggers.
They can be used as mouth pieces for a a political group as well. How they make money really doesn't matter.
On the low end this place is a blog with people voicing their opinions.
A lobbyist and blogger are not the same though. That's for sure
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Also, there is not just free speech, but freedom of the press....a blogger arguably could be part of the press.
 
Plasmaball said:
Eh it's not exactly that black and white with bloggers.
They can be used as mouth pieces for a a political group as well. How they make money really doesn't matter.
On the low end this place is a blog with people voicing their opinions.
A lobbyist and blogger are not the same though. That's for sure
Click to expand...
it is black and white btw...freedom of the press.
 
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