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→Public debate]]
Note carefully paragraph (b)(4)(A-B) above. "Covered communications" are defined in terms of the medium that carries them. [[Radio]] and [[television]] stations, and printed [[newspaper]]s and [[magazine]]s are excluded, but on-line forums and "blog" hosts are not. Therefore, no commentator would be allowed to mention a candidate during election season. This would destroy many blogs that are set up specifically to cover election-related news during primary and general election season, while specifically stating that the [[Mainstream Media]], or more specifically its print and broadcast organs, will be the only ones allowed to comment freely. The great fear is that this is an attempt to restore the [[Fairness Doctrine]], and to begin with on-line media, which did not exist when the [[Federal Communications Commission]] first promulgated that Doctrine in 1949.
Note carefully paragraph (b)(4)(A-B) above. "Covered communications" are defined in terms of the medium that carries them. [[Radio]] and [[television]] stations, and printed [[newspaper]]s and [[magazine]]s are excluded, but on-line forums and "blog" hosts are not. Therefore, no commentator would be allowed to mention a candidate during election season. This would destroy many blogs that are set up specifically to cover election-related news during primary and general election season, while specifically stating that the [[Mainstream Media]], or more specifically its print and broadcast organs, will be the only ones allowed to comment freely. The great fear is that this is an attempt to restore the [[Fairness Doctrine]], and to begin with on-line media, which did not exist when the [[Federal Communications Commission]] first promulgated that Doctrine in 1949.
== Public debate]] ==
== Public debate ==
The [[National Rifle Association]] at first protested the legislation vociferously, only to fall silent after obtaining a special exemption for itself. It thus abandoned smaller groups that would be overwhelmed by the regulation.
The [[National Rifle Association]] at first protested the legislation vociferously, only to fall silent after obtaining a special exemption for itself. It thus abandoned smaller groups that would be overwhelmed by the regulation.