Right Wing, Tea Party, Conservatives Only

The Green Bay Press gets in bed with democrats to silence freedom of speech for elections. You democrats, liberals, lefties, move on , this is not meant for you.

"Editorial: Accountability a must in election ads
January 19, 2010

The Wisconsin Senate is scheduled to vote today on the single most useful way to clean up the election campaign process: Drag mudslingers kicking and screaming into the sunshine.

Senate Bill 43 would place disclosure requirements on special-interest groups and individuals that run independent campaigns for or against candidates — usually against. These groups are a major contributor to the increasingly nasty tone of recent elections.

The candidates themselves must prepare reports that list who has contributed money and services to their campaigns. Independent expenditure groups currently have no such obligation.

As a result individuals and these shadowy organizations are free to pump untold dollars into advertising that distorts records, attacks integrity and generally makes watching television during the campaign season an unpleasant chore — all without identifying themselves or their supporters.

Defenders of these ad makers liken them to freedom fighters like Tom Paine, who published "Common Sense" anonymously and advanced the cause of liberty and the American Revolution. But the majority of the ads are more like hateful graffiti, which advances only disgust and should be painted over as quickly as possible.

"Voters have a right to know who is behind all these ads, where the groups get their money and how much they are spending to influence the outcome of elections," said Mike McCabe, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, in a memo urging senators to approve the bill today.

SB 43 would impose registration and reporting requirements similar to those for the candidates themselves. This is simply an effort to make sure everyone plays by the same rules. That's not the case under the existing system — in fact, special interests have greater power to spend and attempt to influence the election than the actual candidates.

Late last year the Legislature passed a new law that will provide public funding of campaigns for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. It was never clear how that will clean up the nasty tone that has infected the last few statewide judicial elections. SB 43, however, has the potential to be an effective tonic based on some old-fashioned premises: People have a right to confront their attackers. And attackers are less likely to spread lies and distortions if they have to identify themselves as the source of the falsehoods.

Requiring disclosure of campaign contributors means that donors will have to own up to enabling these attack ads. And placing limits on contributions means a single individual or small group will not have the ability to influence the election disproportionately.

Senators should approve SB 43 today, and the Assembly should schedule a vote as soon as possible so this measure can go to the governor to be signed into law." Editorial: Accountability a must in election ads | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette

Why doesn't the Wisconsin Senate pass a bill for voter ID?

Does this cover bloggers?

If you blog and contribute to a candidate, can they come after you?