Posted by Jed Lewison on Sat Mar 22, 2008 at 8:30 AM Pacific

Things that make you love our Constitution

What would Tom Paine think?

Who would ever have thought I'd agree with the Washington Times on something? Just proves I can be bipartisan, or, more accurately, that they can be bipartisan.

The issue? GOP Kentucky State Rep. Tim Couch wants to ban anonymous Internet comments. Now while that might protect us from the occasional comma laden troll comment from one of Mark Penn's minions...I don't think Tom Paine would've looked to kindly on the idea had the whole internet thing been around way back in the day.

According to the Lexington Herald-Reader:

A bill filed in the House would keep Kentuckians from posting anonymous comments to Web sites.

House Bill 775, filed Tuesday by Rep. Tim Couch, R-Hyden, would require anyone who contributes to a Web site to register a real name, address and e-mail address with that Web site. The person's full name then would be used whenever he or she posted a comment.

Web site operators who violate the disclosure law would be fined $500 for a first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.

The legislation has no chance of actually becoming law. That's a good thing because as Couch says in apparent opposition to his legislation (sic):

"When you're anonymous, you can say anything you want to about someone, and nobody knows who you are," he said.

Exactly. I'm glad Tim and I could agree on something.

By the way, on a total side note, I think he's the father (or at least close relative of) Tim Couch, the NFL quarterback who comes from the same town in Kentucky. That probably makes him as American as apple pie, even though even though he has no respect for American Constitutional principles.

Things that make you love our Constitution

What would Tom Paine think?

Who would ever have thought I'd agree with the Washington Times on something? Just proves I can be bipartisan, or, more accurately, that they can be bipartisan.

The issue? GOP Kentucky State Rep. Tim Couch wants to ban anonymous Internet comments. Now while that might protect us from the occasional comma laden troll comment from one of Mark Penn's minions...I don't think Tom Paine would've looked to kindly on the idea had the whole internet thing been around way back in the day.

According to the Lexington Herald-Reader:

A bill filed in the House would keep Kentuckians from posting anonymous comments to Web sites.

House Bill 775, filed Tuesday by Rep. Tim Couch, R-Hyden, would require anyone who contributes to a Web site to register a real name, address and e-mail address with that Web site. The person's full name then would be used whenever he or she posted a comment.

Web site operators who violate the disclosure law would be fined $500 for a first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.

The legislation has no chance of actually becoming law. That's a good thing because as Couch says in apparent opposition to his legislation (sic):

"When you're anonymous, you can say anything you want to about someone, and nobody knows who you are," he said.

Exactly. I'm glad Tim and I could agree on something.

By the way, on a total side note, I think he's the father (or at least close relative of) Tim Couch, the NFL quarterback who comes from the same town in Kentucky. That probably makes him as American as apple pie, even though even though he has no respect for American Constitutional principles.

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