BREAKING NEWS--REPUBLICANS STOP DEMOCRAT ATTEMPT TO SILENCE FREE SPEECH

Washington, DC (TLS). The U.S. Senate voted today to pass an ethics reform bill, S.1, but without the ominous provisions of Section 220, which would have required bloggers, grassroots organizations, and other citizens to get the approval of Congress before influencing fellow citizens to contact their lawmakers concerning pending legislation. Senators Mitch McConnell, R-KY, and Robert Bennett, R-UT, submitted an amendment to the bill that stripped it of its overt infringement upon free speech.

Had it not been for you, the readers, the citizens, who rose up in defiance and contacted your Congressmen and Senators, the Democrats would have slipped into law the most damaging attack on freedom of speech ever witnessed in the history of this country. Sources in Washington indicate that Senators were inundated with phone calls, letters, faxes, and emails decrying the provisions of Section 220.

Your voices were heard.

However, it is to be noted that 43 Senators voted AGAINST the McConnell-Bennett amendment! This means that 43 Senators ignored the overwhelming objections of citizens by doggedly attempting to ram through the Senate a bill containing provisions that would hamstring individual citizens, grassroots organizations, and bloggers in their attempt to alert the public about pending legislation. These 43 Senators would have made criminals out of those of us who criticize Congress, unless we secured approval from Congress first.

This outright, open, brazen attack on our Constitutional right of freedom of speech is a sad and dangerous chapter in American history. Thus, in keeping with The Liberty Sphere's policy of publishing the names of lawmakers whose votes pose a threat to liberty, we will post the names of each and every Senator who voted against the McConnell-Bennett amendment.

It is our fervent desire that you, the citizen, become aware of the threats to American liberty that exist RIGHT WITHIN THE HALLS OF CONGRESS!

In an earlier article I referred to these scoundrels as traitors. While the precise definition of 'traitor' refers specifically to acts of aiding America's enemies during wartime, the broader definition fits this gang of thugs very well. What they did is to attempt to silence dissent in this country, to grant 'permission' to exercise freedom of speech. This is nothing less than sheer tyranny, and thus, those who voted in this manner are traitors to their country.

Thus, before the day is through, the names of Senators who voted against the amendment to strip the lobbying reform bill of its provisions to rob citizens of their freedom of speech will be posted here on The Liberty Sphere.