Annoying Law

As CNET News reported on Monday, our elected idiots just passed a new law that essentially makes it a federal crime to annoy someone on the Internet if your identity is anonymous. I'll leave the debate on the finer points to other people, but there are a few things I'd like to say about this nonsense.

First, let me say that I doubt very seriously that anyone will be charged under the annoyance clause of this new law. The First Amendment implications all but beg for a constitutional challenge, and it is very unlikely that this law would stand up against one. Prosecutors know this, but that's not the point.

The way in which this little gem managed to get slipped in is yet another illustration of how our system of government can be effectively gamed. The trick is as tired and abused as it is simple: tack on your garbage to something else that would be political suicide to vote against. I'm always amazed (even if unsurprised) at the amount of unrelated legislation attached to budget bills.

This is a sad time for America. Our officials should be ashamed of themselves, and I hope they are annoyed if they read my post. For the record, my name is plainly visible on this blog. I point that out not because I'm afraid of some new federal law, but because I want each of them to easily know whose ass they are invited to kiss.