Many bloggers are all abuzz about the prospect of campaign finance laws being applied to blogs. The Rocky Mountain News explains:

Current FEC rules count any Web link to a candidate's Web site as "coordination" with that candidate's campaign. If applied to the Internet, that could make individual bloggers subject to the much more restrictive rules that now govern the activity of special-interest groups.

As "Captain Ed" Morrissey of the political blog Captain's Quarters said in an open letter to Sens. McCain and Feingold, during the presidential campaign he linked to Kerry's Web site four times as often as to Bush's, "which would have meant to the FEC that I was a major contributor to his campaign." In fact, he was a Bush supporter.

Where Ed sees stupidity, I see opportunity! It's rare that such a fine chance for amusing civil disobedience comes along.

Unless I'm missing something (entirely posssible), current campaign finance rules would hold the offending blogger responsible for giving a "contribution" with their dirty, dirty link --- but they would also hold the campaign linked to responsible, regardless of whether the campaign wanted the link or not.

Catching on yet? It's easy, and fun, too! Simply pick the least desirable candidate whose sheer presence on our fair planet offends you, and link, link, link to their site!

Sure, you'll be in trouble with the FEC. But unless you're planning on sitting out the next campaign cycle entirely, let's face it: you're going to be anyway, if the rules don't change. So you might as well wreak some blessed havoc on the books of your least favorite candidates on your way down.

What's that you say --- the FEC could then decide to only count "real" links that are truly meant as support for a candidate?

Splendid! There's nothing more amusing than watching a government agency attempt to implement content-based restrictions on free speech. Did I really mean it when I made that hypertext link to JFK II's site that said He's a Fine Fine American And I Feel Empty Inside Without Him? Maybe I did... and maybe I didn't!

I look forward to the FEC figuring it out, and letting me know.