Greg PakMar 2, 2023
Not to be an alarmist, but this is terrifying. https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/florida-bill-would-require-bloggers-who-write-about-governor-to-register-with-the-state/
Florida bill would require bloggers who write about governor to register with the state

Florida Sen. Jason Brodeur (R-Lake Mary) wants bloggers who write about Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody, and other members of the Florida executive cabinet or legislature to register with the state or face fines.

WFLA
Show threadGreg Pak
In years past, folks would sometimes chide people for posting about terrifying authoritarian bills proposed in various state legislatures because they had no real support and would never pass. But circumstances have changed. I take all of this seriously now.
Mar 2, 2023 at 11:34pmWeb
Show threadGreg PakMar 2, 2023

I'm also preemptively not convinced by takes that this is transparently unconstitutional. Sure! But look who's in the Supreme Court. And even if it were eventually overthrown, the law, if enacted, would have been used to destroy many lives.

If you live in Florida, please call your state reps and tell them to kill this bill.

Show threadGreg PakMar 3, 2023

The bill requires any blogger who writes for pay about state officials to register with the state. Here's how the bill defines a "blog":

"'Blog' means a website or webpage that hosts any blogger and is frequently updated with opinion, commentary, or business content. The term does not include the website of a newspaper or other similar publication."

People talk about tweeting as microblogging. What about Post, which is set up to look like a blog with a comment section?

Show threadGreg PakMar 3, 2023

What about a Substack or Patreon with subscribers? Do those count as blogs? Do they count as "paid" for the purposes of this bill?

The bill requires bloggers to report "the individual or entity that compensated the blogger for the blog post." Does that mean folks would have to provide lists of paid subscribers to their Patreon or Substack?

Show threadGreg PakMar 3, 2023

Ultimately, they want to use this to make lists.

Lists of names.

I don't trust them with those lists.

Show threadJanice PersonMar 3, 2023
@gregpak That's wacky for sure. Do politicians down there not know how to set up Google Alerts? It's not hard. They don't just want the information, they want the power and some sense of control over other people. They just keep lining up all the things.
Show threadStatmonkey 🙊Mar 3, 2023
@gregpak it's unenforceable bullshit meant to have a chilling effect on free speech. Even our dimwits on the SCROTUS won't let that go.
Show threadVictoriakMar 3, 2023
@gregpak absolutely bonkers
Show threadCourt Cantrell does not complyMar 3, 2023
@gregpak There's a metric shitton of deplorableness that has always gone on in this country that's unconstitutional.
Show threadIncorrigible Maker for HARRISMar 3, 2023

@gregpak

I live in Florida. Unfortunately, my state reps are elected by a bunch of rural crackers that support anything the GOP throws out there. They reply to me with form letters telling me how much wonderful work they are doing for me - if I would just STFU and learn to accept what they are dishing out. 😞 😡

Show threadWilliam RayMar 3, 2023
@gregpak
Free speech was always built upon a delicate web of unsupportable supposition. For a court unbound by stare decisis, it's easy enough to point back to the fact that several framers of the First Amendment turned around and later voted in the Sedition Act, jailing anyone who published criticism of the President or his party.
Show threadNoctisEqui 🇺🇦🇵🇸🇪🇹🏳️‍🌈Mar 3, 2023

@gregpak

I’ve been using the ‘F’ word, Fascism, since SCOTUS installed ‘W’ as pResident in 2000.

I knew what was coming when Ray-Gun was elected in ‘80.

We really are ‘up against the wall’ now thanks to the M%ther-f*ckers at GQP.