Bryan at Why Now? has a good idea on the recent rumniations over at the FEC of requiring blogs to report their activities on behalf of candidates.
I would be more than happy to comply with any such regulation after I see the determined values for putting a sign in your yard, a sticker on your vehicle, wearing a t-shirt, wearing a hat, as well as posting a link.
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Having been part of state and federal bureaucracies I would follow any requirements to the letter, doing my part to bury the FEC under an avalanche of paper from millions of bloggers. I mean, they do realize that there are millions who will be sending individual reports about their contributions of a few seconds at random intervals?
Folks, there is absolutely nothing that screws up a bureaucracy faster or more thoroughly than some smart ass following the regulations. We have computers, so paperwork is a mouse click away. It isn’t a denial-of-service attack when the government requires people to submit forms.
I would also ask if the same rule would apply to a newspaper that endorses a candidate or has a columnist who writes in favor of a candidate…or against one, which would then be an indirect boost to his/her opponent.
Like Bryan, I’m a part of a bureaucracy and, boy do I know how to generate paperwork.