The Trump administration wants to tax protests.

[Cattledog]

For the first time, the U.S. government wants demonstrators to pay to use our parks, sidewalks and streets to engage in free speech in the nation’s capital. This should be called for what it is: a protest tax.

This is a bold effort by the Trump administration to burden and restrict access to public spaces for First Amendment activities in Washington. If enacted, it would fundamentally alter participatory democracy in America.

Last month, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced the administration’s radical, anti-democratic rewriting of regulations governing free speech and demonstrations on public lands under federal jurisdiction in Washington. Under the proposal, which is open to public comment, the National Park Service (NPS) will charge protesters “event management” costs. This would include the cost of barricades and fencing erected at the discretion of police, the salaries of personnel deployed to monitor the protest, trash removal and sanitation charges, permit application charges and costs assessed on “harm to turf” — the effects of engaging in free speech on grass, as if our public green spaces are for ornamental viewing.

And it goes beyond just the Mall. Want to protest in front of the Trump hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue? Under this proposal, you’ll have to take out your checkbook, because the NPS maintains control over the broad sidewalks of Pennsylvania Avenue. In addition to the upfront costs to even request a permit, you may be billed for the cost of barricades erected around the hotel — fencing you didn’t ask for but that the hotel wants.

Such a “pay to protest” plan will likely be challenged in court. The right to petition the government for a redress of grievances cannot be burdened by such charges. And discretionary fees or measures that can serve as a proxy for content-based discrimination are unconstitutional.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-trump-administration-wants-to-tax-protests-what-happened-to-free-speech/2018/09/11/70f08bfa-b5e1-11e8-b79f-f6e31e555258_story.html?utm_term=.50c26c2536af

[Fullduplexxx]

1. Just more distraction noise from the orange sht stain

[gratuitous]

2. It's not like there's anything else the country needs to attend to

Why not waste a lot of legislative time and enact a law intended to abridge the freedom of speech of citizens? Someone should pose this question to Mr. Kavanaugh: See anything wrong with this proposal, "Judge"?

[unblock]

3. that brings to mind an obvious thing to protest

[Hermit-The-Prog]

4. gee, wonder how Kavanaugh would vote

Shit like this is why people need to be calling Repug senators NOW.

Under G.Duuuhbya, the Bill of Rights started transforming into the Bill of Suggestions. Keep stacking the courts with lying, partisan hacks and those rights become subject to party doctrine.

[riversedge]

5. Here is the link for the public comments. please pass on the link to alll.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/08/15/2018-17386/special-regulations-areas-of-the-national-park-system-national-capital-region-special-events-and#open-comment

[Javaman]

6. and it's exactly shit like this that started the revolution. nt

[Ms. Toad]

7. So which 3 regulations are they going to eliminate to enact this new one? n/t