White House Encroaching on First Amendment?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

They are asking people to dob other people in. Yes I have a problem with that.

This bill sucks which anyone who has bothered to READ it would know.

Have you read it personally?

[cdneh 3,112]

They are asking people to dob other people in. Yes I have a problem with that.

This bill sucks which anyone who has bothered to READ it would know.

Have you read it personally?

It's clear you haven't.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

They are asking people to dob other people in. Yes I have a problem with that.

This bill sucks which anyone who has bothered to READ it would know.

Have you read it personally?

It's clear you haven't.

Just answer my question...have you?

[scandal 951]

Is flag a code word for censorship? I don't get it.

Not censorship, compling a list of "enemies" to be dealt with later. Would you have liked it if Bush had asked people to forward emails and blog posts of people that didn't like the war? I think you would have gotten it then.

Oh phew. For a minute there, I thought some here were having 1st Amendment fits thinking that the WH was actually trying to do something unconstitutional. But just in case, I'd recommend contacting your local ACLU. That's their specialty.

Ah, so your OK with this then?

Asking people to flag 'fishy' claims about Obama's own health care proposal? What's the issue?

They are asking people to dob other people in. Yes I have a problem with that.

This bill sucks which anyone who has bothered to READ it would know.

Which bill are you talking about?

Your original post was about an informal communication from a White House staffer:

Yesterday, White House director of new media Macon Phillips wrote a blog posting urging readers to flag questionable claims about health care proposals.

That doesn't quite rise to the level of a bill. Unless you are referring to health care legislation.... in which case there is not one bill, but rather several which are meandering their way through Congress, none of which has an inside track right now.

As to First Amendment transgressions, when we reach the point at which McCarthyist tactics are employed and Americans are indeed co-opted to Black list each other and out each other as card-carrying Communists, I will agree that there is a crisis in the land.

Meanwhile, a Blog posting by a mid-ranking staffer scares me a lot less than the wiretapping of private conversations by American citizens on American soil carried out during Bush/Cheney years. That was clearly illegal (violated FISA) and came much closer to a stifling of speech than anything I'm seeing here.

[GaryC 7]

They are asking people to dob other people in. Yes I have a problem with that.

This bill sucks which anyone who has bothered to READ it would know.

Have you read it personally?

It's clear you haven't.

Just answer my question...have you?

So you don't have a problem with the government asking people to forward emails to them if they think they are "fishy"? It is against the law you know.

5 U.S.C. § 552a, United States agencies, including the Executive Office of the President shall, “maintain no record describing how any individual exercises rights guaranteed by the First Amendment unless expressly authorized by statute or by the individual about whom the record is maintained or unless pertinent to and within the scope of an authorized law enforcement activity.”

But since they are asking us to spy on the "thugs" I guess you think it is OK, right?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Has anyone actually been blacklisted?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Is flag a code word for censorship? I don't get it.

Not censorship, compling a list of "enemies" to be dealt with later. Would you have liked it if Bush had asked people to forward emails and blog posts of people that didn't like the war? I think you would have gotten it then.

Oh phew. For a minute there, I thought some here were having 1st Amendment fits thinking that the WH was actually trying to do something unconstitutional. But just in case, I'd recommend contacting your local ACLU. That's their specialty.

Ah, so your OK with this then?

Asking people to flag 'fishy' claims about Obama's own health care proposal? What's the issue?

They are asking people to dob other people in. Yes I have a problem with that.

This bill sucks which anyone who has bothered to READ it would know.

Which bill are you talking about?

Your original post was about an informal communication from a White House staffer:

Yesterday, White House director of new media Macon Phillips wrote a blog posting urging readers to flag questionable claims about health care proposals.

That doesn't quite rise to the level of a bill. Unless you are referring to health care legislation.... in which case there is not one bill, but rather several which are meandering their way through Congress, none of which has an inside track right now.

As to First Amendment transgressions, when we reach the point at which McCarthyist tactics are employed and Americans are indeed co-opted to Black list each other and out each other as card-carrying Communists, I will agree that there is a crisis in the land.

Meanwhile, a Blog posting by a mid-ranking staffer scares me a lot less than the wiretapping of private conversations by American citizens on American soil carried out during Bush/Cheney years. That was clearly illegal (violated FISA) and came much closer to a stifling of speech than anything I'm seeing here.

I do believe, not all those executive orders and findings have been recinded yet.

Has anyone actually been blacklisted?

Give them some time, will ya! Sheeesh!

[GaryC 7]

Has anyone actually been blacklisted?

That isn't the point. The idea of the government asking us to spy on each other over political speech is very 1984'ish. Are you OK with this?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Has anyone actually been blacklisted?

That isn't the point. The idea of the government asking us to spy on each other over political speech is very 1984'ish. Are you OK with this?

1993'ish, even.

Edited August 6, 2009 by Mister_Bill

[Bobby+Umit 161]

When can we start reporting people that use glitter that are not working strippers?

[thepizzadude 26]

They are running out of freedoms to take away only a few including "freedom of speech" left anyway.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

So you don't have a problem with the government asking people to forward emails to them if they think they are "fishy"? It is against the law you know.

Who said that, Gary? Please cite your source.

When can we start reporting people that use glitter that are not working strippers?

Bill, you obviously felt important enough to put a blue dog Democrat label on your siggie. I'm just curious if there any parts of the current Democratic Party agenda that you do support?

[GaryC 7]

So you don't have a problem with the government asking people to forward emails to them if they think they are "fishy"? It is against the law you know.

Who said that, Gary? Please cite your source.

I did, so I will again. Here:

5 U.S.C. § 552a, United States agencies, including the Executive Office of the President shall, “maintain no record describing how any individual exercises rights guaranteed by the First Amendment unless expressly authorized by statute or by the individual about whom the record is maintained or unless pertinent to and within the scope of an authorized law enforcement activity.”

[one...two...tree 2,762]

So you don't have a problem with the government asking people to forward emails to them if they think they are "fishy"? It is against the law you know.

Who said that, Gary? Please cite your source.

I did, so I will again. Here:

5 U.S.C. § 552a, United States agencies, including the Executive Office of the President shall, "maintain no record describing how any individual exercises rights guaranteed by the First Amendment unless expressly authorized by statute or by the individual about whom the record is maintained or unless pertinent to and within the scope of an authorized law enforcement activity."

mkay...so can you provide a source that shows the White House intends on violating your constitutional rights?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Has anyone actually been blacklisted?

That isn't the point. The idea of the government asking us to spy on each other over political speech is very 1984'ish. Are you OK with this?

No - but I don't think its the outrage that you're making it out to be. Its not some directive from on high demanding that people do their "patriotic duty" and finger the traitors in our midst.

Its a 32 y/o media/PR guy whose sole responsibility appears to be to maintain the White House website - in other words, he has the authority of a wet fart.