When the Blogs form a PAC...

As the Internet continues to grow, it is only fitting that the government is going to try to get involved and find a way to leave their mark on it. Bloggers, who are known for having a anti-establishment mindset, are being forced to take off their pajamas, put on a suit, and travel to Capitol Hill to fight for their right to announce their opinions from their basements.

A CNN.com article "Bloggers go Mainstream in Government Battle" talks about how bloggers are seeking the help of lawyers and are even forming their own PAC to stand up against any government regulations on blogging. A recent FEC proposal to extend campaign rules and regulations to the internet has sparked many to stand up for what has become the greatest example of free speech in America - blogs!

The FEC is claiming that the internet has dramatically changed since they last examined it a few election cycles ago - candidates have gone from raising under a million dollars online to raising tens of millions online, internet advertising has become mainstream in political campaigns, and in the 2004 election 1 in 3 American adults used the internet to get their political news according to a Pew Internet and American Life survey. Many of the political news has come from blogs.

Although I do not think it is right for the government to begin to regulate the Internet, I think it is more interesting that bloggers are using mainstream political tactics to fight against these regulations. For a group that prides itself on using their websites to speak their mind, they are using old political tactics to find their voice.