Just Politics

[Vexari]

FRAUD of Democracy 101

Saturday, 01/27/07 09:51:00 AM


+ Our 43 Totalitarian Senators (Sly or Stupid?)
+ Bush's State Militias

1) When they took away the 4, 6, 2, & 1
Constitutional Amendments (Update of Niemoller)
2) FRAUD of Democracy 21(501 c.3) Pew/Soros
3) Who are the 43 Totalitarians in our Senate?
4) (Text) SEC. 220. DISCLOSURE OF PAID EFFORTS
TO STIMULATE GRASSROOTS LOBBYING.

---------------

Freedom of speech - use it or lose it - A VICTORY.

The power of the internet is demonstrated.
This trial balloon at censorship was squashed last night.
But they will try again.
====

When they took away the
4th Amendment, we were quiet, because we didn't deal drugs.

When they took away the
6th Amendment, we were quiet, because we were innocent.

When they took away the
2nd Amendment, we were quiet, because we don't own guns.

Now they have taking away the
1st Amendment,and very soon, if we continue to be quiet,
we will have no choice, but to be continue to be quiet.
==========

Amendment I - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably
to assemble, and to petition the Govt. for a redress of grievances.
It appears the "grassroot lobbying" insertion will be expunged
from the original S.1 Senate bill. It's not clear
from the article below how this occurred or who expedited it.
What is also of interest is WHO put it there from the start.

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070119/D8MOISAO0.html

"The Senate, on a 55-43 vote, approved an amendment pushed
by Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah, to strip a provision
requiring reporting of "grass-roots" lobbying."

It's right in between the two pictures of Obama.

It seems the non-profit group Democracy 21
furnished the citizen lobbying insertion in S.1

which was fortunately defeated
by senators led by Bennett & Judd Gregg.

This statement from Democracy 21 laments
this successful Amendment.
Democracy 21 is registered with the IRS
as a public charity 501(c)(3) org.

For want of no public outrage directed their way
does not specify this 1st Amendment restriction directly.

It would seem Democracy 21 may have even written this portion.
It might be revealing to see who hired them as "consultants"
and who the leading contributors might be!

As president, Fred Wertheimer paid himself
the taxpayer-subsidized annual salary of $175,167.

The 2005 Tax-Exempt Form 990 for Democracy 21 can be viewed here.
Again, Democracy 21 is nothing more than another example
of a fox among the hens.

Wertheimer's "public charity" gets large chunks of funding from the
Pew Charitable trust and George Soros.

All of this under the self-righteous moniker of
"ethics and lobbying reform", you understand.

You know about Soros' political leanings.
Pew Trust is notorious for its funding of far left,
anti-American foundations and groups.
The most Marxist of all
is Pew's funding of the Institute for Policy Studies.
I have reported to you on IPS activities repeatedly.
----------------------------------------------------------
THE QUESTION IS:
ARE THEY STUPID OR SLY?

Who are the Totalitarians in our Senate?

The Senators who voted to throttle the voices of grass roots groups,
by to keeping the section 220 are shown below.
Section 220 would have made it possible to have criminal penalties,
and even jail time, for citizens who criticize or try to influence Congress.

The Senators in the list that is below,
all voted for the SB 1 bill without the Bennet Amendment.

Only Coburn and Hatch voted against the SB 1 bill.

The Bennet amendment removed
the most outrageously totalitarian part of the Senate bill S.1 .

Here are The Senators who voted NO
on the Bennet amendment:

Akaka (D-HI)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Obama (D-IL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

----------original message---------

In the original post of this message one of the URLs
was censored by an interesting tactic:
The URL came through with "spaces" added to it.
If any of the URLs in this post does not load,
please REMOVE the added "spaces".

Totalitarianism is HERE:
Criminal penalties, jail time, for citizens who criticize
or try to influence Congress.
U. S. Senate would impose criminal penalties, even jail time,
on citizens who criticize Congress.
Congress to Send Critics to Jail, Says Richard Viguerie
Wednesday, January 17, 2007

The following is a statement by Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman of
GrassrootsFreedom.com , regarding legislation currently being
considered by Congress to regulate grassroots communications:

"In what sounds like a comedy sketch from Jon Stewart's Daily Show,
but isn't, the U. S. Senate would impose criminal penalties,
even jail time, on grassroots causes and citizens who criticize Congress.

"Section 220 of S. 1, the lobbying reform bill currently before the Senate,
would require grassroots causes, even bloggers, who communicate
to 500 or more members of the public on policy matters, toregister
and report quarterly to Congress the same as the big K Street lobbyists.

Section 220 would amend existing lobbying reporting law
bycreating the most expansive intrusion on
First Amendment rights ever.
For the first time in history, critics of Congress
will need toregister and report with Congress itself.

"The bill would require reporting of 'paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying,' but defines 'paid' merely as communications
to 500 or more members of the public, with no other qualifiers.

"On January 9, the Senate passed Amendment 7 to S. 1,
to createcriminal penalties, including up to one year in jail,
if someone'knowingly and willingly fails to file or report.'

"That amendment was introduced by Senator David Vitter (R-LA).
Senator Vitter, however, is now a co-sponsor of Amendment 20
by Senator RobertBennett (R-UT) to remove Section 220 from the bill.

Unless Amendment 20 succeeds, the Senate will have criminalized
the exercise of FirstAmendment rights.
We'd be living under totalitarianism.

"I started GrassrootsFreedom. com to fight efforts to silence the
grassroots. The website provides updates in the legislation
and has apetition to sign opposing Section 220.

"Thousands of nonprofit leaders, bloggers, and other citizens have
hammered the Senate with calls in opposition to Section 220,
which seeks to silence the grassroots.

The criminal provisions will scare citizens into silence.

"The legislation regulates small, legitimate nonprofits, bloggers,
andindividuals, but creates loopholes for corporations, unions,
and large membership organizations that would be able
to spend literallyhundreds of millions of dollars, yet not report.

"Congress is trying to blame the grassroots, which are American
citizens engaging in their First Amendment rights,
for Washington'sinternal corruption problems."
CONTACT:
Mark Fitzgibbons, [phone] or [phone], for
http://www.GrassrootsFreedom.com.
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/january2007/170107critics.htm
=============

Lobbying Bill Will Violate Free Speech And
The Right To Freely Petition Government
Washington, DC –

"The Traditional Values Coalition is deeply concerned about
the grassroots lobbying requirements in Section 220 of S.1,
Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act,"
said TVC Chairman Rev. Louis P. Sheldon today.

"Section 220 is a Direct Assault on the First Amendment
and the right of citizens to freely petition their government
for a redress of grievances!

"This legislation will place onerous reporting requirements
on individuals and organizations that lobby our national leaders
on issues of importance to them. And, it will impose draconian fines –
- including potential criminal penalties -
- for failure to obey these new lobby restrictions. "

Rev. Sheldon points out that Section 220 will target
any organization with more than 500 supporters or if
a communication reaches 500 or more individuals.

Those affected include every blogger, every church, every non-profit
or any group that uses direct mail, telephone calls, newspaper
or print ads, paid organizers, radio and TV ads and Internet comms.

"The reporting requirements and penalties in Section 220
will place incredible financial and time burdens on grassroots groups
as well as potential fines – thus making it less likely that these
groups risk communicating with their members on important issues.

This cleverly-written section doesn't directly assault free speech,
but it creates a climate of fear that chills free speech,"
said Rev. Sheldon.
"Will a small grassroots group speak out if it fears being fined
for failing to file the correct reports to Congress?
This legislation is a subversion of our First Amendment rights."

Rev. Sheldon notes that this will have a serious impact on pastors!

"A pastor, for example, who uses the church bulletin to oppose
an anti-Christian bill, will be considered a lobbyist
and must register his church as a lobbying firm!

This is unacceptable!

"The curious thing about this legislation is that it exempts
- Labor Unions, Corporations and even Foreign Companies -
from these reporting requirements.

Yet, these are the entities that are most likely to engage in unethical
lobbying activities – not small grassroots groups," said Rev. Sheldon.

"TVC is calling on the U.S. Senate to support the
Bennett amendment to remove the grassroots provisions from S. 1.
This section clearly tramples on our First Amendment rights
to free speech and the right of every citizen to petition his government!
Visit:
http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=24769
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000003607.cfm

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c110:1:./temp/~c110Vh5DhK:e38473:
S.1
To provide greater transparency in the legislative process.
(Placed on Calendar in Senate)
----------------------------------------------------------

SEC. 220. DISCLOSURE OF PAID EFFORTS
TO STIMULATE GRASSROOTS LOBBYING.

(a) Definitions- Section 3 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1602) is amended--

(1) in paragraph (7), by adding at the end of the following:
`Lobbying activities include paid efforts to stimulate grassroots
lobbying, but do not include grassroots lobbying.'; and
(2) by adding at the end of the following:
`(17) GRASSROOTS LOBBYING-
The term `grassroots lobbying' means the voluntary efforts
of members of the general public to communicate their own views
on an issue to Federal officials or to encourage other members
of the general public to do the same.

`(18) PAID EFFORTS TO STIMULATE GRASSROOTS LOBBYING-
`(A) IN GENERAL-
The term `paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying' means any
paid attempt in support of lobbying contacts on behalf of a client
to influence the general public or segments thereof
to contact one or more covered legislative or executive branch officials
(or Congress as a whole)
to urge such officials (or Congress) to take specific action
with respect to a matter described in section 3(8)(A), except that
such term does not include any communications by an entity
directed to its members, employees, officers, or shareholders.

`(B) PAID ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE THE GENERAL PUBLIC
OR SEGMENTS THEREOF- The term `paid attempt to influence
the general public or segments thereof' does not include an attempt
to influence directed at less than 500 members of the general public.

`(C) REGISTRANT- For purposes of this paragraph, a person
or entity is a member of a registrant if the person or entity--
`(i) pays dues or makes a contribution
of more than a nominal amount to the entity;
`(ii) makes a contribution of more than
a nominal amount of time to the entity;
`(iii) is entitled to participate in the governance of the entity;
`(iv) is 1 of a limited number of honorary or life members of the entity;
or
`(v) is an employee, officer, director or member of the entity.
`(19) GRASSROOTS LOBBYING FIRM-
The term `grassroots lobbying firm' means a person or entity that--
`(A) is retained by 1 or more clients to engage in paid efforts
to stimulate grassroots lobbying on behalf of such clients; and
`(B) receives income of, or spends or agrees to spend, an aggregate
of $25,000 or more for such efforts in any quarterly period.'.
(b) Registration- Section 4(a) of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1603(a)) is amended--
(1) in the flush matter at the end of paragraph (3)(A), by adding
at the end the following: `For purposes of clauses (i) and (ii),
the term `lobbying activities' shall not include
paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying.'; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:

`(4) FILING BY GRASSROOTS LOBBYING FIRMS -
Not later than 45 days after a grassroots lobbying firm first is retained
by a client to engage in paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying,
such grassroots lobbying firm shall register with the Secretary
of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives.'.
(c) Separate Itemization of Paid Efforts
To Stimulate Grassroots Lobbying- Section 5(b) of the Act
(2 U.S.C. 1604(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3), by--

(A) inserting after `total amount of all income' the following:
`(including a separate good faith estimate of the total amount
of income relating specifically to paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying and, within that amount, a good faith estimate
of the total amount specifically relating to paid advertising)'; and
(B) inserting `or a grassroots lobbying firm' after `lobbying firm';
(2) in paragraph (4), by inserting after `total expenses' the following:
`(including a good faith estimate of the total amount of expenses
relating specifically to paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying and,
within that total amount, a good faith estimate o
f the total amount specifically relating to paid advertising)'; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
`Subpara.(B)& (C) of para (2) shall not apply with respect to reports
relating to paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying activities.'.
(d) Good Faith Estimates and De Minimis Rules
for Paid Efforts To Stimulate Grassroots Lobbying-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 5(c) of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1604(c))
is amended to read as follows:
`(c) Estimates of Income or Expenses-
For purposes of this section, the following shall apply:

`(1) Estimates of income or expenses shall be made as follows:
`(A) Estimates of amounts in excess of
$10,0000 shall be rounded to the nearest $20,000.
`(B) In the event income or expenses do not exceed
$10,000, the registrant shall include a statement that income
or expenses totaled less than $10,000 for the reporting period.
`(2) Estimates of income or expenses relating specifically to paid
efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying shall be made as follows:
`(A) Estimates of amounts in excess of $25,000 shall be rounded
to the nearest $20,000.
`(B) In the event income or expenses do not exceed $25,000,
the registrant shall include a statement that income
or expenses totaled less than $25,000 for the reporting period.'.
(2) TAX REPORTING- Section 15 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1610)
is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking `and' after the semicolon;
(ii) in paragraph (2), by striking the period and inserting `; and'; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
`(3) in lieu of using the definition of paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying in section 3(18), consider as paid efforts
to stimulate grassroots lobbying only those activities that are
grassroots expenditures as defined in section 4911(c)(3)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.'; and
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking `and' after the semicolon;
(ii) in paragraph (2), by striking the period and inserting `; and'; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
`(3) in lieu of using the definition of paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying in section 3(18), consider as paid efforts
to stimulate grassroots lobbying only those activities
that are grassroots expenditures as defined in section
4911(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.'.
SEC. 222. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This subtitle and the amendments made by this subtitle
shall take effect January 1, 2008.

=========================
Useful Idiot wrote:
--
Must Register like BIG K Street lobbyists

(Excerpt) The amendment is currently on hold.
This latest attack on bloggers comes hot on the heels of Republican
Senator John McCain's proposal to introduce legislation that would
- FINE BLOGS up to $300,000 for offensive statements, photos
and videos posted by visitors on comment boards.
======
Take action: As well as calling the Senate you should go to
GrassrootsFreedom.com which has a petition
http://www.grassrootsfreedom.com/gw3/petition/petition.php?PetitionID=25
that you can sign against Section 220 of S. 1,
the lobbying reform bill

http://www.infowars.net/articles/january2007/180107Bloggers_Prison.htm

Bloggers Who Criticize Government May Face Prison
Bill would allow rounding up and imprisoning
of non-registered political writers

Steve Watson
Infowars.net

====
Bush Trying to Imitate Soviet Union Government
http://www.progress.org/2006/foia01.htm
Big-Government Bush Wants Expanded Spying Power Against U.S. Citizens
http://www.progress.org/2006/aclu62.htm
Bush Against American Values
http://www.progress.org/2006/censor03.htm Bush Seizes Control Over State Militias

Centralized, paternalistic government was a bad
Soviet Communist idea, so why does AWOL Bush favor it?
Here are portions of a news article appearing at
http://www.stateline.org

by Kavan Peterson
A little-noticed change in federal law packs an important change
in who is in charge the next time a state is devastated
by a disaster such as Hurricane Katrina.

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***/Mos http://
tbrnews.org/Archives/a2608.htm#005