I Just Don't Know What to Say...

[Howey]

 WTF? People in Florida are starving, people can't find jobs in Florida, people can't get health care in Florida, and the fucking legislature cares about THIS?

http://fltrib.com/photographing-cows-or-other-farm-scenery-could-land-you-jail-under-senate-bill

Taking photographs from the roadside of a sunrise over hay bales near the Suwannee River, horses grazing near Ocala or sunset over citrus groves along the Indian River could land you in jail under a Senate bill filed Monday.

SB 1246 by Sen. Jim Norman, R-Tampa, would make it a first-degree felony to photograph a farm without first obtaining written permission from the owner. A farm is defined as any land "cultivated for the purpose of agricultural production, the raising and breeding of domestic animals or the storage of a commodity."

Media law experts say the ban would violate freedoms protected in the U. S. Constitution. But Wilton Simpson, a farmer who lives in Norman's district, said the bill is needed to protect the property rights of farmers and the "intellectual property" involving farm operations.

Simpson, president of Simpson Farms near Dade City, said the law would prevent people from posing as farmworkers so that they can secretly film agricultural operations.

He said he could not name an instance in which that happened. But animal rights groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Animal Freedom display undercover videos on their web sites to make their case that livestock farming and meat consumption are cruel.

Jeff Kerr, general counsel for PETA, said the state should be ashamed that such a bill would be introduced.

"Mr. Norman should be filing bills to throw the doors of animal producers wide open to show the public where their food comes from rather than criminalizing those who would show animal cruelty," he said.

Simpson agreed the bill would make it illegal to photograph a farm from a roadside without written permission. Norman could not be reached for comment.

Judy Dalglish, executive director for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said shooting property from a roadside or from the air is legal. The bill "is just flat-out unconstitutional not to mention stupid," she said.

And she said there are laws already to prosecute trespassing onto property without permission. And if someone poses as a farm employee to shoot undercover video, they can be fired and possibly sued.

"Why pass a law you know will not stand constitutional muster?" Dalglish said.

Simpson said he doesn't think that "innocent" roadside photography would be prosecuted even if the bill is passed as introduced.

"Farmers are a common-sense people," he said. "A tourist who stops and takes a picture of cows -- I would not imagine any farmer in the state of Florida that cares about that at all."

[Howey]

Oh. The Republican who introduced the bill?

Another crook!

http://www.irreverentview.com/florida-politics/irreverent-view-exclusive-ethics-complaint-filed-against-jim-norman

Tampa attorney and local Republican Paul Phillips has filed a wide-ranging ethics complaint against eighteen-year incumbent Hillsborough County Commissioner Jim Norman who is currently seeking a seat in the Florida Senate. Norman is term limited from seeking the county commission job again. He faces State Representative Kevin Ambler in the G.O.P. Primary on Tuesday. 

Phillips’ complaint which was sent to the State Ethics Commission yesterday alleges Norman has failed to accurately reveal financial information on state-mandated candidate financial disclosure forms. It claims Norman has withheld information about assets he owns including two boats moored at an Arkansas lake house that were part of the purchase of said house by Norman’s wife.  Norman claims the lake house purchase was legit and was made by his wife independently from him and that he was only put on the boat registrations for “liability” reasons. However, the Normans have refused to disclose where the money came from other than to say from “investors.”  Arkansas law conveniently does not require disclosure of such “investors.”

[ekg]

I get the need for this, PETA does deserve to be stopped from doing this shit the same was James O'keefe would.. but if they aren't going to stop O'keefe because it's his god-given right to do this kind of thing, well then it's also PETA's.. How soon they forget they use the same tactics and then edit/alter the result for their purposes..

but yeah, it does seem like that 'mandate'  they were elected with was on everything except jobs..

funny how that works..

and still, the canned answer is given.. (from 2 days ago)

"While Americans want Washington to focus on creating jobs and cutting spending, the president will have to explain why he thinks now is the appropriate time to stir up a controversial issue that sharply divides the nation," said Boehner's spokesman Michael Steel.

when do you think they'll get done with abortion,fake-repeal and de-funding my next pap smear to start on that whole job-creating stuff?

ah well, I guess this other stuff is pressing.. I mean, planned parenthood is the root of all evil ya know..


know what's funny.. when you read comment sections now you have lib/dems saying 'hey, where are all those jobs you promised to create?" and then a slew of professional-righties clamoring.. "Hey stupid, Congress doesn't make jobs they make laws!" and "It's not up to the gov't to make jobs!"

HA! funny how the worm turns when it's their party NOT sticking by campaign promises and still current talking points...

[Howey]

I get the need for this, PETA does deserve to be stopped from doing this shit

PETA, while extreme in their practices, has the right under the 1st Amendment to do what they are. As an animal lover, I'm sickened by some of the stuff we see out there.

If the government wants to try to stop me from taking that pic of the two horses fucking in the field, they'll just have to rip that camera out of my cold, dead hands.


or something like that...