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Please support the Free State Foundation on #GivingTuesday

Dear friends and supporters of FSF,

At the Free State Foundation, we refrain from constant fundraising appeals in order to devote our time and energy to the substance of our work. And despite what all the fundraising gurus say, I'm not a believer in those nine or ten-page long appeals you receive in the snail mail every other day. (I bet you get tired of them too!)
 
So, this is the only specific request for support for our free market, pro-limited government, and property rights-protective work you'll likely receive all year. If you value the Free State Foundation's advocacy of laws and policies that are compatible with fundamental free market, limited government, and property rights principles, consistent with the rule of law, there isn't likely to be a better time than today - #GivingTuesday - to ask you to support our work with a tax-deductible contribution.
 
Most of you are pretty regular readers of FSF's work - and for that I'm gratified. We receive lots of positive feedback regarding our publications and events, and we're grateful for that too. We always welcome your feedback of whatever variety.
 
Because you follow our work - and because I started by saying I am not a fan of long appeals - I will keep this short. I'll simply highlight briefly a few of the topics and areas in which we've been active this year. You'll find all of our publications for this year and every year on our FSF website and on our FSF blog.
 
  • The Free State Foundation has been a long-time acknowledged leader in opposing the FCC's efforts to regulate Internet providers, including wireless broadband providers, as traditional public utilities - in other words, to regulate today's Internet providers in much the same way railroads were regulated in the 19th Century and Ma Bell was regulated last century.
  • We've led the fight against the FCC's preemption of the States' authority to restrict local government provision of broadband services. Aside from the fact that government provision of telecom services, especially in competition with private sector firms, presents serious policy issues, which we've addressed in depth, the FCC's preemption of state authority to restrict the activities of local governments is likely unlawful.
  • As always, FSF has opposed government regulations, whether applied to broadcasters, cable and satellite operators, or Internet providers that violate the First Amendment by restricting free speech or mandating carriage of speech that the private party would prefer not to transmit.
  • This year, as in the past, we steadfastly have opposed assertions of agency authority to impose fines and other penalties on regulated entities based on vague regulations that don't contain knowable, predictable requirements. We have called out the FCC for acting inconsistently with fundamental rule of law norms, such as when the agency adopted a so-called "general conduct standard" as a basis for sanctioning Internet providers.
  • We've filed comments with the FTC, and published scholarly papers and blogs, arguing against unnecessary and counterproductive laws and regulations that hinder the development of new, entrepreneurial sharing economy businesses enabled by the digital revolution.
  • More than in any previous year, we've consistently stood up for safeguarding intellectual property rights as our Founders intended when they included the protection of intellectual property in our Constitution. If you're interested in intellectual property rights, or, for that matter, constitutional history, natural rights philosophy, or biographical information regarding the likes of James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Noah Webster, Daniel Webster, Justice Joseph Story, Chancellor James Kent, and Abraham Lincoln, don't miss our new book, The Constitutional Foundations of Intellectual Property - A Natural Rights Perspective, available from Carolina Academic Press here or Amazon here.
  • Finally, we've published a series of blogs regarding various ways that Maryland can eliminate unduly burdensome regulations, get rid of unnecessary occupational and business licensing requirements, reduce taxes, and generally improve the state's business climate.
 
Of course, within each of these areas, there were many scholarly papers, long and short blogs, email messages - and, yes, many tweets. The recital above is intended only to be simply a brief recap - by no means an exhaustive listing.
 
But, consistent with my promise to keep this appeal short, I hope the foregoing is sufficient to induce you to make a tax-deductible donation on this #GivingTuesday - or this Wednesday, Thursday...or as soon as you can - to support the Free State Foundation's research, educational, and advocacy work. (FSF is a nonpartisan, tax-exempt Section 501(c)(3) research and educational foundation.)
 
You will find information concerning making a donation by check or credit card here.
 
Or simply click the Donate button to contribute by credit card or PayPal.

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Thanks in advance for considering a donation to help support the Free State Foundation's free market, rule of law-based work. And, above all, thanks for your friendship!

Here's hoping you and your family enjoyed Thanksgiving and, from all of us at FSF, I send our best wishes and warmest regards for the upcoming holidays!

Randolph May
President

The Free State Foundation 
P. O. Box 60680 
Potomac, MD 20859 
Tel: 301-984-8253 
 
     
 
 


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