FEC: Citizens United Free Of Disclosure Rules. My, This Just Gets Better And Better.
Yeah, I especially enjoyed the part in Citizens United's "Hillary: The Movie" where Obama says Clinton had no diplomatic experience. Thank God he won and she doesn't have anything to do with the State Department, huh?
Anyway, how amazing that not only do corporations get to pour unlimited amounts of money into the political system, they don't even have to disclose it, thanks to this new FEC ruling. Here's hoping some of those famous "Hollywood liberals" start putting some product together to counterbalance the expected flood of similar right-wing tropes:
WASHINGTON — A little-noticed Federal Election Commission ruling that expands the definition of “media" to include a partisan film production group is the latest in a series of actions eroding legislative limits on the influence of money in politics.
“We’re really returning, seemingly inexorably, toward an entirely deregulated system," said Thomas Mann, who studies campaign finance at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. “It was a rather breathtaking decision."
The commission voted June 10 to designate the filmmaker Citizens United a “press entity," equating its often highly partisan work — including films attacking Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and President Obama — with the work of nightly newscasts.
The result, analysts say, is that the group is not required to disclose its role in sponsoring political projects or activities, or reveal the source of its funding. Thus, it becomes impossible to discern its influence in the political process.
No FEC commissioner would agree to be interviewed, according to a spokeswoman. But in defending the commission’s 4-to-1 vote, the panel’s vice chairwoman, Cynthia Bauerly, said in a statement that traditional images of the press no longer apply.
“We all used to know that ‘press entity’ meant something like ABC News," she said in prepared remarks to the commission. “Today, however, technology has changed nearly everything about media."
The FEC ruling has alarmed advocates for campaign finance rules, who say it sets a troubling precedent.
“If a self-proclaimed political advocacy group that has made some very, very slanted so-called documentaries to influence elections constitutes the press, it’s difficult to imagine what types of political advocacy groups would not qualify," said Paul Ryan, an election law specialist at the Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan watchdog.
everything about media."
The FEC ruling has alarmed advocates for campaign finance rules, who say it sets a troubling precedent.
Well thank heavens the new technology has freed the blogoshpere and advocacy groups so we can laern about these things less than a month after they happened. I guess BP put a cap over FEC proceedings.
TFR
The commission voted June 10 to designate the filmmaker Citizens United a “press entity," equating its often highly partisan work — including films attacking Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and President Obama — with the work of nightly newscasts.
The result, analysts say, is that the group is not required to disclose its role in sponsoring political projects or activities, or reveal the source of its funding. Thus, it becomes impossible to discern its influence in the political process.
I guess the FEC had FOX News in mind when they made this ruling
If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you're gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders.
George Carlin
..score one for the propagandists!
"it’s difficult to imagine what types of political advocacy groups would not qualify"
not really. i am going to say the left-leaning groups would be the one's that won't "qualify".
Does this mean that when a person is held accountable for saying something incriminating over a phone line, which the government is recording always and forever, that the evidence can be thrown out because we have a right of anonymity?
I know one way technology is changing everything.
The right hand side keeps chopping off at this site the past month.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
It was on the right side.
TFR
for those lucrative rotator ads. You should be more like the FEC and remember not to bite the hand that feeds!
Arizona Diamondbacks promoting
the new Ann Coulter MP3 collection.
I will rush out to buy it when it
has a free coupon for 5% off at WalMart
with proof of purchase of 5 gallons of BP
petrol.
TFR
But I think I already have one of those files. It makes this horrible screeching sound when I try to play it.
the turntable.
Try playing it in your Boomer Box.
TFR
That's her voice
I've tried everything to cure the right side of the column problem, to no avail.
It usually happens after I view a page of the Video Cafe.
Very aggravating.
competitive site. It is either done
by Java, to Javans or for Java. Unless
they were jiving.
TFR
frequently have to re-load the page 5-6 times ..
all the text is there (select all, copy & paste into NotePad works) but the comment parser fails to insert a carriage-return/linefeed at the right boundary of the frame.
twice when we've complained about it in overnight open thread the site monitor (once anonymously, once Nicolle) informed us it was our browsers, not C&L ..
But ..
I'm running IE8 (please don't tell me all the reasons I shouldn't and which browser is infinitely better, ok?) and I say C&L SHOULD run right in IE8 - I'm not the only IE8 user on the planet ..
Democracy is too important to be entrusted to politicians.
Rise Up!
Protest!
You're right - its hosed in IE8 in both regular and compatibility mode. Looks like you're using Drupal, could it be the CSS limit issue? http://drupal.org/project/unlimited_css
I got tired of it, so I shut off scripting for C&L. Moved C&L to the "safe zone" in IE8, and then made the safe zone security the same as my normal internet settings, except for allowing scripting.
PITA, but since I'm here every day, necessary to avoid the 'lost text' issue.
The commission voted June 10 to designate the filmmaker Citizens United a “press entity," equating its often highly partisan work — including films attacking Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and President Obama — with the work of nightly newscasts.
Nightly newscasts are blatant one sided propaganda too. That is why I stopped watching them years ago. Too ridiculous. Re: ACORN for a good example of total smear based reporting.
Agreed.
It's a pity he gave her that position.
If I'd wanted sHillary's chickenhawk foreign policy I'd have supported her in the primaries.
Just one more Obama copout.
blech
Democracy is too important to be entrusted to politicians.
Rise Up!
Protest!
And they are all marginally defensible. At this point, the FEC commissioners should all be replaced with ones who will actually protect the integrity of elections.
but for those with faith in the power of free speech not the worst thing in the world. The rulings give weight to money but that won't necessarily overwhelm the volume of many voices. Depends on how much faith you have in your fellow citizens as well.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUu
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFf
-------------------------------------------------
---Man! I Believe That These $HITHEAD Repubs-----
---------Are really Afraid of her---------------
--and truely are attempting to discredit her.----
----------Hey Hillary You Go Girl,-------------
-------you got these bastards on the run!-------
-------------------------------------------------
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFf
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUu
But all the rest of the reich-wing propaganda artists were represented....even that squealing pig, mark levine. What a total ass wiper.
is that movie about Hillary or Sarah Palin?
The old saying money talks and BS walks generally meant paying cash for something and getting a break on the retail price. Now it apparently means money actually speaks! My money hasn't spoken to me though I've initiated a few conversations with it, mostly wishing I could keep more of it. Anyway the old days are gone and now apparently money has a voice even silent though it may be, at least as far as my money goes. It's too bad only some money speaks louder than other money or something I guess,it seems to be to confusing for me to figure out. I want this talking Money! Where is it or how do I train it to speak for me! Somebody please tell me where this talking money is I could really use some.
PEACE
The love you take is equal to the love you make. John Lennon Paul Mc Cartney
Nothing else, short of armed insurrection is going to fix what's wrong with our government. The supreme court is actively working to destroy representative democracy and replace it with a corporatist( fascist) system, the remainder of the government is stubbornly indifferent and unresponsive to the will of the vast majority. We need about 10 issues addressed that are best done with constitutional amendments. It's time.
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