Hmm, I see...

Well, I see that Ed will have to write to his Congressional Representative, as will anyone else who cares. Otherwise, the Executive will be left to its own devices and then the courts will get into it because somebody, somewhere, will sue.

But this isn't a free speech issue. People can still say anything they want. It's a tax issue, which is something different. Related, though. It's not the statements themselves that will be actionable, if this is not clarified by Congress. The number of times they are repeated will be the issue. Where is the line between a friendly (or unfriendly) conversation and commercial-political advertizing?

The side issue of the journalist exception for blogs is very interesting. I remember an argument about qualifications and professional credentials here a while ago... We could conceivably get into blogging licenses, commercial and non-profit, to establish credentialed/professional vs. hobbyist/amateur bloggers. But we will have to be heading that way anyway, since bloggers have gotten press passes for political events...

Hmmm... Not quite a threat to free speech yet... but a mosquito in the ear worth tracking...

PS-- Tony, do we need to talk without the klieg lights? Just wondering...