Federal court limits anti-gay funeral protests in Missouri

By   /  April 29, 2013  /  Featured, Free Speech, Missouri, News  /  1 Comment

Bradley C. Bower/AP

Groups such as the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church won’t be allowed picket within 300 feet of funerals. The Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Missouri law banning protests closer than that, though the court struck down a broader law to keep protesters even further away.

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Protesters argue even annoying speech should be protected at WI Capitol

By   /  April 12, 2013  /  Featured, Free Speech, News, Wisconsin  /  9 Comments

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By Ryan Ekvall | Wisconsin Reporter

MADISON – Is arguably annoying speech worth protecting on an absolute basis at the Capitol?

Protesters of Gov. Scott Walker, who gather at the Capitol daily holding signs and singing songs, say it is.

Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, joined with the American Civil Liberties Union at a news conference Thursday to denounce what the lawmaker describes as a clamp down on free speech at the statehouse.

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Internet creates opportunities, hurdles to transparent government

By   /  March 8, 2013  /  Accountability, Censorship, Featured, Free Speech, News, Open Records, Public records, public sector, State Government, Transparency, Wisconsin  /  1 Comment

Watchdog.org celebrates Sunshine Week with a series detailing how our reporters obtained government information.

By M.D. Kittle | Wisconsin Reporter
MADISON – Despite the dark and sinister corners where thieves and sex offenders lurk, the Internet has brought the light of the Information Age to the far corners of the world.
In so doing, the online experience has opened the door to greater transparency in many governments. So, U.S. citizens can [...]

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KS legislators, unions clash over political funding mechanism

By   /  January 23, 2013  /  Featured, Free Market, Free Speech, Kansas, Lobbying, News, public sector, unions  /  3 Comments

MONEY TALKS: Supporters and opponents clashed in a war of words during the initial hearing for HB 2023, which would prevent public employee unions from making deductions from member paychecks for the purpose of funding political initiatives.

State Sen. Greg Smith is an educator to the core.

A union man he is not.

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Florida prepares to be ‘less free’ in 2013

By   /  January 10, 2013  /  Accountability, Censorship, Elections, Ethics, Featured, Florida, Free Speech, Issues, News, State Government  /  2 Comments

LESS FREE: More laws, regulations and taxes are set to leave life tougher for Floridians this year.

By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog
ST. PETERSBURG — If there was ever anything that needed a New Year’s resolution in 2013, it’s the stake of freedom in the Sunshine State.
Things aren’t looking too good for Florida with officials bringing in more burdensome taxation, tougher penalties for free speech and creeping infringement on civil liberties.
According to the [...]

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