The year is 2009 and it has been a long four years since the opening salvos of the Blog Wars. Late in 2005 the Federal Election Commission launched a crackdown on blogs with political leanings with the purpose of eradicating political free speech from the wide open spaces of the Internet. The persecution of those who blogged about their political opinions was subtle at first, cease and desist letters, fines, ISP’s being threatened if they provided bandwidth, IRS audits, public denunciations, and finally imprisonment. Over the course of late 2005 and into the spring of 2006 as the mid-term elections started to heat up, blogger after blogger was censured and harassed by the FEC on their new mandate. As those in the Blogsphere tried to fight back their number was thinned by members of FEC enforcement squad, who job it was to surf the Blogsphere looking for any unpaid and undocumented political speech.

The Mom and Pop blogs flourished as well as the pet, knitting, and photo blogs as long as then never strayed into the realm of political speech. In fact many non-political blogs turned their backs on many political blogs and quickly removed the outlawed from the ranks of their blogroll. The American public as a group sat by and accepted the persecution of political blogs as the price to be paid for “fair and clean” elections. Politician after politician trumpeted the new fairness of the prohibition against online political speak.

Shortly before the 2008 Presidential election, a growing underground of political bloggers formed a primitive network of undocumented chat rooms and early 90’s style bulletin boards. As the election cycle got into full swing, both candidates talked their way around the free speech issue. Former members of the left and right were forced to collaborate with the much hated ACLU in order to press the issue of returning to the days of expressing a political thought without fearing consequences from “big brother”. In the end the MSM was a full partner with the government in the elimination of political blogs. Many looked upon the MSM participation as payback for the humiliation that they suffered at the hands of the BlogSphere in 2004 and early 2005.

Now of course the preceding is a work of fiction or is it the future of political blogging on the internet. Already across the world bloggers are punished for their views, Iran is a great example. Recently the FEC threatened a crackdown on the BlogSphere regarding political speech or other methods of supporting either a political party or candidate. The FEC released a preliminary draft of rulemaking on Internet Communications yesterday and at first glace it would seem like they have backed off their plan for curtailing political speech across the BlogSphere. Upon closer examination the draft really changes nothing for bloggers and online pundits. It seems that the FEC seriously thinks it can control the output of bloggers in regards to politics. I can’t think of one politician that has come out against this and frankly that is very frightening. Here is a very good examination of the draft by the folks over at redstate.org, thanks to SuperHawk for the hat tip. Tech Central Station also has some good information on the coming battle against the MSM. He even points out that the Democratic Party and its radical liberal bloggers will be willing partners in the crackdown.

Where ever the threat comes from it is real and we need to take it seriously. I urge everyone to read up on the material out there on the Internet and follow-up with your Representations and Senators to make it known to our leaders that we will not sit and be idle and let our first amendment be stripped away. Thanks for listening to me rant and keep an eye out for this when surfing. Have a safe and happy Easter everyone and keep Terri and her family in your prayers.

Said the_mad_tech @ 1:05 am | Permalink   

1. Great stuff! That story made the hair stand up on the back of my head. Too real.

   Comment by Superhawk — 3/27/2005 @ 3:48 am

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2. “He even points out that the Democratic Party and its radical liberal bloggers will be willing partners in the crackdown.”

   Not THIS liberal!

   Comment by Gun-Toting Lib — 3/27/2005 @ 10:33 am

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3. GTL, your one that I sure we could count as an ally if that nightmare ever came to pass. Thanks for your comment.

   Comment by The Mad Tech — 3/27/2005 @ 11:58 am

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4. Scary-as-hell neo-Orwellian picture, which seems to be a little less fictional than I’d ever imagined it could be.

   As one fairly new to the blogosphere, this has gotten me really thinking… however in secret, lest my way-left workplace get wind of my dabblings.

   Comment by The MaryHunter — 3/27/2005 @ 12:04 pm

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5. Interesting……but I am still armed….

   Comment by Richard Nixon — 3/28/2005 @ 8:06 am

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