Gingrich decries ‘insane’ Florida bill for register of bloggers critical of DeSantis

Old_Joe

Bill before Florida legislature to make online critics of governor register is ‘an embarrassment’ says former House speaker

Excerpts from a current article in The Guardian:

A Florida bill that would require bloggers who write about the state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, to register with the state proved a step too far even for the godfather of far-right Republicanism, the former US House speaker Newt Gingrich.

“The idea that bloggers criticizing a politician should register with the government is insane,” Gingrich wrote on Twitter.

“It is an embarrassment that it is a Republican state legislator in Florida who introduced a bill to that effect. He should withdraw it immediately.”

The bill was introduced by Jason Brodeur. It states: “If a blogger posts to a blog about an elected state officer and receives, or will receive, compensation for that post, the blogger must register” with the appropriate state office.

The bill defines “elected state officer” as “the governor, the lieutenant governor, a cabinet officer, or any member of the legislature”. As penalty for failure to comply, it posits fines of up to $2,500.

Welcome to the tin-horn dictators of the third world. Perhaps you had thought that the United States was a stable, mature democracy. Well, judging by the smell, perhaps the "stable" part is accurate.

BenWP

It's a step towards state control of the media and we all know where that ends. And how badly it ends for errant journalists. It was bad enough when Charles de Gaulle required journalists to submit to him the questions they would ask at the next press conference.

catch22

Thank you, Old_Joe
One knows 'things' are moving down hill too fast when the 'Newt' is concerned.
And Mr. Ron is just a younger Trump. What happens inside these brains? Something from childhood, bad water source or is there a special gene for the crazies?

Observant1

DeSantis has enthusiastically embraced culture warfare to fire up his base.
Part of a long Republican tradition to "divide and conquer."
Not allowing investors the option of selecting ESG funds, rescinding Disney's special tax district,
and now requiring bloggers who write about him to register with the state.
Except for allowing anyone to purchase firearms if they desire to do so,
whatever happened to all those purportedly freedom-loving Republicans?

hank

”… allowing anyone to purchase firearms if they desire to do so … “

Yeah. Open-carry at that.. Really ought to make folks want to vacation down there with their pets and kids. Just take care not to infringe on someone else’s staked-out spot along their crowded beaches - often laden with unruly drunks. Milky Mouse better watch what he says too!

Santos DeSantis has been bragging about how fast Florida’s population is growing. Just checked Tampa’s weather. 82 degrees. You don’t suppose we aging & teetering old boomers - plus the weather there - have anything to do with that ?

(Average temperatures around Michigan today may top-out around 35.)

Crash

Observant1 said:

DeSantis has enthusiastically embraced culture warfare to fire up his base.
Part of a long Republican tradition to "divide and conquer."
Not allowing investors the option of selecting ESG funds, rescinding Disney's special tax district,
and now requiring bloggers who write about him to register with the state.
Except for allowing anyone to purchase firearms if they desire to do so,
whatever happened to all those purportedly freedom-loving Republicans?

Spot-on.
And Jan. 6 was something like our own Kristallnacht: intimidate and get rid of the ones who are in your way. Rule of Law? They scoff at the very concept.