Mastodawn

Greg Pak Mar 2, 2023

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.

Greg Pak Mar 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.

Greg Pak Mar 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?

Greg Pak Mar 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?

Greg Pak Mar 3, 2023

Ultimately, they want to use this to make lists.

Lists of names.

I don't trust them with those lists.

Janice Person Mar 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.

Statmonkey 🙊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.

Victoriak Mar 3, 2023

@gregpak absolutely bonkers

Court Cantrell does not comply Mar 3, 2023

@gregpak There's a metric shitton of deplorableness that has always gone on in this country that's unconstitutional.

Incorrigible Maker for HARRIS Mar 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. 😞 😡

William Ray Mar 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.

NoctisEqui 🇺🇦🇵🇸🇪🇹🏳️‍🌈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.

Miragee Mar 2, 2023

@gregpak Uh, what about the First Amendment?

Corvid Crone Mar 3, 2023

@Miragee @gregpak unfortunately, the First Amendment is not a corporeal being that can physically stop them from putting this in place.

Ralph Brandi Mar 2, 2023

@gregpak De Santis is a fascist through and through.

Gigawatt121 Mar 2, 2023

@gregpak holy shit wtf

@Maddow
@govrondesantis
@CNN

marktaylor Mar 2, 2023

@gregpak Florida has become North Korea. DeSantis is a tiny man in heals. lol

Gina B Fla Mar 2, 2023

@gregpak
You get what you vote for.

RadLib Mar 3, 2023

@gregpak
I wonder what would count as a "blog post." You might have to send paperwork to the government anytime you decided to write a paragraph on social media.

Billthoo Mar 3, 2023

@gregpak if he gets elected it’s goodnight USA

Matt Stein Mar 3, 2023

@gregpak Gonna need a few moments to unfurrow my brow, but what’s the supposed justification for this?

P Patrick Hogan Mar 3, 2023

@gregpak Republicans have completely lost the plot.

Rabbi Ruth Adar Mar 3, 2023

@gregpak Agreed, scary, and scarier when you figure that this guy is running for POTUS.

R.A. Porter (he/him)Mar 3, 2023

@gregpak I wouldn't think someone with such thin skin would choose to live in a subtropical state with so many sunny days.

His dermatologist must have two yachts by now.

Pari Moon-Forest Mar 3, 2023

@gregpak How would they even enforce that? Out of state writers, stealth writers and all of the non-"blogger" writers and $#IT posters...there's no way.
And it's very 1997 of whoever wrote this. I wonder if they've heard of Twitter.

@gregpak We are facing a firehose of civil rights violations. Where is the civil rights division of DOJ?? Why isn’t our federal government sounding the alarm on this? This is indeed terrifying. They won’t stop until they are stopped.

https://www.npr.org/2022/11/18/1137836712/college-university-florida-woke-desantis-1984

@JenX @gregpak Don't need it. federal district courts have already shut down several other unconstitutional laws DeSantis & the FLGOP have passed. The system is still working as it should.

@LouisIngenthron @gregpak It’s on appeal to the 11th circuit. In the meantime, real people are being harmed. https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/education/2023-01-13/florida-cleared-violating-court-order-stop-woke-act

Florida is cleared of violating a court order over the 'Stop WOKE Act'

A federal judge sided with the DeSantis administration after plaintiffs said it did not comply with a preliminary injunction preventing enforcement.

WUSF

@JenX The wheels of justice grind slowly. 🤷‍♂️

I was just answering your question about why others weren't dealing with this. Because it's not their job. It's the courts' job and the courts are working on it.

It takes time to dig through the GOP's horseshit to thoroughly repudiate it and shut it down completely.

@LouisIngenthron So what in your opinion is the job of the DOJ civil rights division?

@JenX Based on the Civil Rights Act of 1957 that established it, it's to ensure that everyone has fair and equal access to the ballot.

@LouisIngenthron It’s a bit more than that. “The Civil Rights Division enforces federal laws that protect you from discrimination based on your race, color, national origin, disability status, sex, religion, familial status, or loss of other constitutional rights.” https://civilrights.justice.gov/

Contact the Civil Rights Division | Department of Justice

Have you or someone you know experienced unlawful discrimination? The Civil Rights Division may be able to help. Civil rights laws can protect you from unlawful discrimination, harassment, or abuse in a variety of settings like housing, the workplace, school, voting, businesses, healthcare, public spaces, and more.

@JenX Yes, they "enforce federal laws". They don't challenge state laws.

The most the DOJ could do is sue the state that enacted the law, and that's already been done by private individuals who have a much stronger claim to action.

@LouisIngenthron I guess we can agree to disagree. There is nothing to stop DOJ from enforcing Federal laws when state governments violate them. They can and have done so- recently with Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, with equal access in education violations, etc. Just because there are private individuals suing the state it doesn’t mean DOJ should be passive in its obligations. There are many cases where intimidation and money prevent victims from seeking justice on their own.

Jeff Bamberger Mar 3, 2023

@gregpak very terrifying. Of course if I read the synopsis right I am assuming there is going to be a lot of pro bono writing soon

Marisa Mar 3, 2023

@gneilyo wha?

Kate Branden Mar 3, 2023

@gregpak Am I correct that if neither the blogger nor the paying publication are located in Florida, the state has zero recourse?

@katebranden @gregpak There are some extenuating circumstances that could thwart that, but what you said is mostly true.

That said, though, most of the vocal critics who are closely following Florida politics... are in Florida.