My letter to the FEC (Don't censor ads for Fahrenheit 911 film!)

I sent this letter to each FEC Commissioner individually, but some of their addresses bounced. I trust the others received it. I've included their names and email addresses below, and a note on which addresses appear not to be functioning.

Yours in liberty,
        <<< Starchild >>>

FEC Chairman Bradley A. Smith
<commissionersmith@...> (bounced)

Ellen L Weintraub
<CommissionerWeintraub@...>

David M. Mason
<commissionermason@...>

Danny L. McDonald
<commmissionermcdonald@...> (bounced)

Scott E. Thomas
<commissionerthomas@...> (bounced)

Michael E. Toner
<commissionertoner@...>

Dear Starchild;

A couple of points about your letter to the FEC.

1. The group Citizens United contended that commercials for �Fahrenheit 9/11� fall under federal campaign finance law. Regulations prohibit the use of corporate money to air ads identifying a presidential candidate in the 30 days before his party�s nominating convention and the 60 days before the Nov. 2 election.
Bush will be nominated by the GOP during its New York convention Aug. 30-Sept. 2. Citizens United argued that �Fahrenheit 9/11� ads that identify Bush and are paid for with corporate money should be banned after July 31.

2. An exemption to the law frees a wide array of media organizations from the ban on the use of corporate money for ads identifying federal candidates close to elections. Moore, an Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker, and the film might be covered by the media exemption.

Citizens United contends that �Fahrenheit 9/11� is propaganda and doesn�t qualify for the media exemption. It is among conservative groups that have tried to mobilize the public against the film, arguing that Moore�s portrayal of the Bush administration is inaccurate.

3. The Federal Election Commission might take months to issue a ruling on the complaint, making it unlikely the commission would act in time to affect the film�s ad campaign.

The campaign finance laws do not prohibit ads critical of the president before an election. They prohibit corporate funded ads before the primary and the general election. On the point of censorship and the right to criticize the issue are the campaign financing laws as drafted by Congress in a pathetic attempt to control corporate campaign fund financing. Then Congress can look good to the public by patting themselves on their collective backs.

Secondly, the FEC is stuck with the laws Congress passes. The FEC does not create the specific laws based on a generic Congress enacted law. The FEC enforces the laws in this case as enacted by Congress. It is a matter of interpretation here as to whether or not it's advertising for the film or propaganda.

Your letter would be better addressed to the Idiots of Congress and why are they attempting to to control campaign financing when it ain't nevuh gonna happen. There will always be too many loopholes.

Ron Getty SF Libertarian

For a slighter fuller version of the story see:

                  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5288438/

Starchild <sfdreamer@...> wrote:

I sent this letter to each FEC Commissioner individually, but some of
their addresses bounced. I trust the others received it. I've included
their names and email addresses below, and a note on which addresses
appear not to be functioning.

Yours in liberty,
<<< Starchild >>>

FEC Chairman Bradley A. Smith
(bounced)

Ellen L Weintraub

David M. Mason

Danny L. McDonald
(bounced)

Scott E. Thomas
(bounced)

Michael E. Toner