The DUMBEST idea I've heard today
By krempasky Posted in FEC — Comments (11) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Has GOT to be the notion of a "Blogger Identity Seal."
"The last election clearly showed that a Wild-West mentality existed on the Internet for the bloggers," said Ravi Singh, CEO, a pioneer in campaign technology. "The FEC, however, doesn't have to be the new sheriff on the Internet. Let the voters, readers, donors, and bloggers decide to enforce standards among these new rowdy blogger cowboys. Those bloggers who choose to identify themselves will create trust among their visitors and pressure other blogger web sites to follow suit."
The BIS will provide an independent avenue for bloggers to show whether they operate independently or in partnership with specific political parties or candidates.
Once registered through an on-line directory, a Blogger Identity Seal would appear on the homepage of web logs. By scrolling one's mouse key over the top of the seal, a reader would be able to see whether the director or the owner of the domain name of web logs received contributions from a political organization or candidate during past election cycles.
Talk about not getting it. First, the FEC is not going to force blogger disclosure. It's a serious departure from current regulation. Second, the idea of a commercial web vendor providing an "online directory" smacks of a smarmy marketing scheme. (in direct mail, we call this an "involvement device.")
Finally - the ElectionMall folks just haven't read the comments submitted by bloggers. We tend to believe that you can't just look at a line item expenditure and say, "yep, bought and paid for - this blog is tainted."
I'd encourage Mr. Singh to read the Federalist Papers. Specifically, the original bylines.
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The DUMBEST idea I've heard today 11 Comments (0 topical, 11 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
You are exactly right, Mike.
The common perception now is that if someone has received a campaign contribution, they have been bought. I have contributed to the Republican National Committee, Rick Santorum for Senate 2006, and Bret Schundler for Governor 2005 in the past year.
I know that none of the three has been bought by my interests, but if you believe the campaign finance reform people, that would be precisely the situation.
I think if viewers of my blog were to see that I had, theoretically, received a contribution from a PAC run by Mike Huckabee, then they would most certainly presume, then, that I was artificially inflating his status on my presidential rankings for that very reason. That's not fair.
Considering how biased the mainstream media are in this country, who in his right mind would suggest that bloggers disclose who they have received contributions from? Do they have a tickertape at the bottom of the CBS Evening News showing contributions that CBS or Bob Schieffer may or may not have received from a PAC or candidate?
That would be, "If a state party website features a federal candidate, the portion of the site taken up by the candidate's picture would have to be calculated, and costs allocated appropriately."
Just heard you on NPR Mike. Sorry this happened on a "liberal" venue. Liked the "out the wazoo" arguement. What IS a "wazoo" by the way? Nice job.
I just listened to a clip - didn't hear the wazoo quote.
Of course, it was common practice in those days for journalists to be bought and paid for - Hamilton and Jefferson both did it, in addition to writing under pseudonyms.
Look, disclosing who you took money from or gave money to is the better practice. But most people assume that most blogs have an axe to grind anyway. The key issue with blogs isn't "show your bias," it's "show your work"/"show your sources." If your sources are transparent, it doesn't matter what your motives are. If you're quoting unnamed sources, that's just rumor, no matter how pure you are.
At least someone is out there offering solutions rather than bitching and complaining
Ya, it s not the brightest idea but it's an idea..
I want to come to the FEC forums, but it's going to go on forever! I'm a Republican and proudly wear my stars and strips. If a dam seal is going to do that AMEN! BIS what is that Bitchn' Identiy Seal
What exactly makes this guy a "pioneer in campaign technology?"