Rev. Ted Pike and his father
were instrumental to
President Reagan signing
into effect the National Day
of Prayer, and traveled to
the White House when it was
signed into law.
National Prayer
Network
EMERGENCY ALERT!!
LOBBY
REFORM BILL CRIPPLES FREE
SPEECH
By Rev. Ted Pike
Last year the
Anti-Defamation League of
B'nai B'rith reeled from a
tidal wave of public protest
to their "anti-hate bill."
Now a coalition of powerful
pro-hate bill senators, led
by Carl Levin and Joe
Lieberman plus Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid
and Nancy Pelosi, House
Speaker, are attempting to
pass legislation that will
severely hamper such citizen
activism.
Levin and
Lieberman's hidden agenda is
contained as Sec. 220 within
the newest version of the
lobbying reform bill: S.1,
The Legislative Transparency
and Accountability Act of
2007.
Dr. Dobson Warns Us
Dr. James
Dobson's alert of last year
remains urgent: "Senator
McCain, who authorized the
Lobby Reform Bill did not
include language that put
constraints on grassroots
activists, but Senators Joe
Lieberman and Carl Levin
added an amendment to do
just that." 1
Keri Houston,
spokesperson for The Lobby
Sense, explains what Levin
and Lieberman added:
"Specific provisions
of these bills would
diminish the citizen
voice and
significantly reduce
the ability of
grassroots
organizations to
continue to express
and promote the
people's will... The
legislation defines
grassroots lobbying
as any attempt to
influence the
public... Legions of
citizen
organizations, small
businesses, and even
individuals would
become subject to
onerous registration
and reporting
requirements, simply
because they were
trying to motivate
the public to
support a position
or a point of view."
2
Solution in Search
of a Problem
Especially after
the Abramoff bribery
scandal, it is proper for
Sen. McCain's bill, as it
was originally written, to
address lobbying abuses.
Yet, America does not have a
problem with too much public
concern and activism at the
grassroots level. Just the
opposite. Civic apathy, not
activism, is the
overwhelming threat to
freedom. Nor does grassroots
activism have any
significant history of graft
and scandal.
Liberal Jewish
activists Levin and
Leiberman don't see it that
way. After all, three times
in the past two years
grassroots America has
helped defeat ADL's
cherished federal hate bill.
We voted down same-sex
marriage. We forced NBC to
cancel its blasphemous
program "The Book of
Daniel."
In reaction,
Levin and Lieberman want
grassroots America subject
to the suspicions and
restrictions imposed on
federal lobbyists and
members of Congress. How do
they propose to legislate
such restrictions? In Sec.
220 they define "grassroots
lobbying" as the act of
communicating your views to
the government. If you make
a call to Congress
expressing your point of
view, you are involved in
grassroots lobbying.
Levin and
Lieberman would permit such
local activism, at least for
now. But if an individual or
an organization encourages
calls to members of Congress
from as few as 500 people
and receives donations or
payments toward that end
totaling $25,000 during a
3-month period, they will
have to register with the
federal government as a
"grassroots lobbyist firm."
($25,000 is not enough to
purchase a full-page ad in a
major newspaper.) They will
also have to file extensive
reports to satisfy federal
curiosity concerning who
gave, how much, how it was
dispersed, for what cause,
etc.
One of the most
disturbing provisions of
this bill is that anyone who
pays dues or makes
contributions to the
grassroots lobbyist
organization, donates time
to it, is involved in its
governance, is an honorary
or life member, or is an
employee, officer, director,
or member is considered a
member of that organization.
Such a person, if he is to
continue to associate as a
member will be expected by
the organization to share
the cost of the possible
$100,000 fine if quarterly
reports to the government
are inaccurate or not on
time.
This also means
that the head of the
organization, the one who
actually receives or donates
$25,000 per quarter, is
responsible to report to the
government the lobbying
activities of those whose
efforts are funded as part
of his legal entity.
The implication
of this is catastrophic to
grassroots lobbying
organizations such as
Christian conservative
political action groups and
politically active churches.
Many organizations will be
unwilling to be held
accountable for the paid
lobbying activities of their
members. Many members will
decline to support or be
associated with grassroots
lobbying organizations for
fear of being expected to
share the cost of huge
federal penalties if the
organization does not please
the state.
How will many
politically active churches
finally respond? They�ll
decide it�s not worth the
hassle and forsake moral
issues and political
activism altogether. In
other words, they will just
preach �the gospel� and let
the liberals run the
country.
What Do
ADL/Levin/Lieberman Really
Want?
These liberal
Jewish activists, along with
the Jewish Anti-Defamation
League of B'nai B'rith, want
to end
Christian/conservative
activism in America. They
also want to establish an
Orwellian thought crimes
bureaucracy similar to
Canada's, eradicating free
speech. They resent the
power of the common man to
thwart legislation vital to
their objectives. They want
to diminish the power of
grassroots America to
protest, and be protected in
such protest by the First
Amendment.
But this is only
the beginning. Although it
is necessary to restrict
high-powered professional
lobbyists in Washington,
D.C., if we give the
government power to
hamstring local, modestly
paid grassroots activists
today, government will
demand the right to do the
same to unpaid activists
tomorrow.
This is the
situation in Canada under
ADL/B'nai B'rith's hate law
passed in 1971. In Canada
one does not just speak his
mind, even to a Member of
Parliament. He looks to see
if a policeman is watching
or listening. He asks, "Is
my opinion tolerant enough?
Will some federally
protected group be offended,
reporting me to the hate
crimes gestapo? I could be
fined $5,000 for an honest
but careless remark and go
to prison if I continue to
make such statements."
ADL's Long-Term Goal
ADL, Levin and
Leiberman want Americans as
intimidated as Canadians.
They want us so fearful of
our own government that an
ADL-dominated thought crimes
bureaucracy can pass
whatever legislation it
wants, unrestrained by
citizen protests. Right now
ADL and their lackeys, Nancy
Pelosi in the House and
Harry Reid in the Senate,
desire to pass a federal
hate crimes law that will
take America in the same
direction as Canada.
Will they
succeed? It depends on how
loudly we the people speak
out. Here's what you can do
today:
The Senate will
probably vote on the lobby
reform bill this Thursday.
Call your Senators
now at 1-202-224-3121
or toll-free:
1-877-851-6437 or
1-866-340-9281.
Tell them: "Please don't
vote for the lobby reform
bill, S.1. Its Section 220
stifles free speech by
placing heavy reporting
requirements on local
grassroots lobbyists. These
are not guilty of corruption
and should not be
restricted."
www.truthtellers.org
will soon post a powerful
brochure that you can send
to House members and their
legislative aides. There is
a chance that even if the
Senate passes this
oppressive legislation we
can stop it in the House.
Take
Action Now! Next Week May Be
Too Late!
Endnotes:
1 Focus on the
Family press release, "Lobby
Reform Bill Would Restrict
Grassroots Activism," March
6, 2006.
2 "Congress Set
to Muzzle the Citizen
Activist," Keri Houston, The
Lobby Sense Coalition,
February 28, 2006.
Here is Levin and
Leiberman�s attempt to
stifle grassroots lobbying:
S.1
To provide greater
transparency in the
legislative process. (Placed
on Calendar in Senate)
SEC. 220. DISCLOSURE OF
PAID EFFORTS TO STIMULATE
GRASSROOTS LOBBYING.
(a) Definitions-
Section 3 of the Act (2
U.S.C. 1602) is amended--
(1) in
paragraph (7), by adding at
the end of the following:
`Lobbying activities include
paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying, but do
not include grassroots
lobbying.'; and
(2) by adding
at the end of the following:
`(17)
GRASSROOTS LOBBYING- The
term `grassroots lobbying'
means the voluntary efforts
of members of the general
public to communicate their
own views on an issue to
Federal officials or to
encourage other members of
the general public to do the
same.
`(18) PAID
EFFORTS TO STIMULATE
GRASSROOTS LOBBYING-
`(A) IN
GENERAL- The term `paid
efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying' means
any paid attempt in support
of lobbying contacts on
behalf of a client to
influence the general public
or segments thereof to
contact one or more covered
legislative or executive
branch officials (or
Congress as a whole) to urge
such officials (or Congress)
to take specific action with
respect to a matter
described in section
3(8)(A), except that such
term does not include any
communications by an entity
directed to its members,
employees, officers, or
shareholders.
`(B)
PAID ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE
THE GENERAL PUBLIC OR
SEGMENTS THEREOF- The term
`paid attempt to influence
the general public or
segments thereof' does not
include an attempt to
influence directed at less
than 500 members of the
general public.
`(C)
REGISTRANT- For purposes of
this paragraph, a person or
entity is a member of a
registrant if the person or
entity--
`(i) pays dues or makes a
contribution of more than a
nominal amount to the
entity;
`(ii) makes a contribution
of more than a nominal
amount of time to the
entity;
`(iii) is entitled to
participate in the
governance of the entity;
`(iv) is 1 of a limited
number of honorary or life
members of the entity; or
`(v) is an employee,
officer, director or member
of the entity.
`(19)
GRASSROOTS LOBBYING FIRM-
The term `grassroots
lobbying firm' means a
person or entity that--
`(A) is
retained by 1 or more
clients to engage in paid
efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying on
behalf of such clients; and
`(B)
receives income of, or
spends or agrees to spend,
an aggregate of $25,000 or
more for such efforts in any
quarterly period.'.
(b) Registration-
Section 4(a) of the Act (2
U.S.C. 1603(a)) is amended--
(1) in the
flush matter at the end of
paragraph (3)(A), by adding
at the end the following:
`For purposes of clauses (i)
and (ii), the term `lobbying
activities' shall not
include paid efforts to
stimulate grassroots
lobbying.'; and
(2) by
inserting after paragraph
(3) the following:
`(4) FILING
BY GRASSROOTS LOBBYING
FIRMS- Not later than 45
days after a grassroots
lobbying firm first is
retained by a client to
engage in paid efforts to
stimulate grassroots
lobbying, such grassroots
lobbying firm shall register
with the Secretary of the
Senate and the Clerk of the
House of Representatives.'.
(c) Separate
Itemization of Paid Efforts
To Stimulate Grassroots
Lobbying- Section 5(b) of
the Act (2 U.S.C. 1604(b))
is amended--
(1) in
paragraph (3), by--
(A)
inserting after `total
amount of all income' the
following: `(including a
separate good faith estimate
of the total amount of
income relating specifically
to paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying and,
within that amount, a good
faith estimate of the total
amount specifically relating
to paid advertising)'; and
(B)
inserting `or a grassroots
lobbying firm' after
`lobbying firm';
(2) in
paragraph (4), by inserting
after `total expenses' the
following: `(including a
good faith estimate of the
total amount of expenses
relating specifically to
paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying and,
within that total amount, a
good faith estimate of the
total amount specifically
relating to paid
advertising)'; and
(3) by adding
at the end the following:
`Subparagraphs (B)
and (C) of paragraph (2)
shall not apply with respect
to reports relating to paid
efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying
activities.'.
(d) Good Faith
Estimates and De Minimis
Rules for Paid Efforts To
Stimulate Grassroots
Lobbying-
(1) IN
GENERAL- Section 5(c) of the
Act (2 U.S.C. 1604(c)) is
amended to read as follows:
`(c) Estimates of
Income or Expenses- For
purposes of this section,
the following shall apply:
`(1)
Estimates of income or
expenses shall be made as
follows:
`(A)
Estimates of amounts in
excess of $10,0000 shall be
rounded to the nearest
$20,000.
`(B) In
the event income or expenses
do not exceed $10,000, the
registrant shall include a
statement that income or
expenses totaled less than
$10,000 for the reporting
period.
`(2)
Estimates of income or
expenses relating
specifically to paid efforts
to stimulate grassroots
lobbying shall be made as
follows:
`(A)
Estimates of amounts in
excess of $25,000 shall be
rounded to the nearest
$20,000.
`(B) In
the event income or expenses
do not exceed $25,000, the
registrant shall include a
statement that income or
expenses totaled less than
$25,000 for the reporting
period.'.
(2) TAX
REPORTING- Section 15 of the
Act (2 U.S.C. 1610) is
amended--
(A) in
subsection (a)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by
striking `and' after the
semicolon;
(ii) in paragraph (2), by
striking the period and
inserting `; and'; and
(iii) by adding at the end
the following:
`(3) in lieu
of using the definition of
paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying in
section 3(18), consider as
paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying only
those activities that are
grassroots expenditures as
defined in section
4911(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986.'; and
(B) in
subsection (b)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by
striking `and' after the
semicolon;
(ii) in paragraph (2), by
striking the period and
inserting `; and'; and
(iii) by adding at the end
the following:
`(3) in lieu
of using the definition of
paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying in
section 3(18), consider as
paid efforts to stimulate
grassroots lobbying only
those activities that are
grassroots expenditures as
defined in section
4911(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986.'.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TALK
SHOW HOSTS:
Interview Rev. Ted Pike
immediately! Call
503-631-3808.
