So Much For Democracy

Your Beloved Leaders in Washington want your votes, but it appears that some of them would prefer not to hear from you otherwise. New Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her henchpersons have proposed a "Lobbying Reform Bill" that would impose strict registration and reporting requirements on organizations and individuals who seek to influence pending legislation.

Under the House version of the Bill, a church or organization would be considered a “grassroots lobbying firm” subject to this law if the group attempted to influence the general public to voluntarily contact federal officials in order to express their own views on a federal issue. Furthermore, many large churches and ministries utilize mass media to communicate their message. Under this House Bill by Nancy Pelosi, these communications, as long as they are directed to at least one person who is not a member of the church, would fall under this new Bill. Finally, if the church spends an aggregate of only $50,000 or more for such efforts in a quarterly period, they are now required to register as lobbyists. Many ministries spend $50,000 or more a month for air time. MORE

It is ironic that Democrats, supposed friends to minorities, are leading this charge. Where, exactly, did Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. go to rally the country to pass important civil rights reforms? Churches, of course.

Proponents of this move will argue that no one is being silenced. They simply have to register so the government can keep track of them. This is nonsense. Do we require newspapers to register before they can print editorials? No, and the media would explode in indignation at the very idea. Registration = restraint. This legislation needs to be stopped. I would tell you to write your Congressperson about it, but then I might have to register.

Hat tip: Dymphna's Well