"Fairness" Doctrine Gaining More Dem Support

The headline on Drudge this morning tells us that John Kerry is coming out in favor of the so-called "Fairness" Doctrine, a set of rules and regulations designed to muzzle conservative talk radio. No surprise there. When the info came out from the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth about Kerry's questionable activities in Vietnam, conservative talk radio ran with it and spread the info to millions of listeners and thereby throughout the media. The weak sisters in liberal talk radio could do nothing to counteract it. It greatly damaged the Kerry campaign, something about which he's still seething.

Talk radio also played a major role in killing Hillarycare in the 90's and has been working overtime on the immigration bill. Politicians don't like their activities exposed to the voters.

The Fairness Doctrine is blatantly unconstitutional, and should the Dems manage to pass it, I can't imagine the current Supreme Court allowing it to stand. The failures of the Dems to make an impact in talk radio has nothing to do with fairness, but with market forces that they don't understand. Nobody wants to hear whining, complaining and endless conspiracy theories all day, and since that makes up the majority of liberal radio programming, their ratings are terrible. Attempt after attempt has been made to create liberal talk radio stars, but to no avail. Radio listeners have rejected each attempt while positive, entertaining talkers like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have thrived.

One congressman is not taking this attempt at stifling conservatives lightly. Rep. Mike Pence is introducing a bill to guarantee continued free speech on the airwaves:

"Bringing back the Fairness Doctrine would amount to government control over political views expressed on the public airwaves. It is a dangerous proposal to suggest the government should be in the business of rationing free speech.
"Congress must take action to ensure that this archaic remnant of a bygone era of American radio does not return. There is nothing fair about the Fairness Doctrine.

"During my years in radio and television, I developed a great respect for a free and independent press. Since being in Congress, I have been the recipient of praise and criticism from broadcast media, but it has not changed my fundamental belief that a free and independent press must be vigorously defended by those who love liberty. It is with this in mind that I will introduce the Broadcaster Freedom Act.

"The Broadcaster Freedom Act will prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from prescribing rules, regulations, or policies that will reinstate the requirement that broadcasters present opposing viewpoints in controversial issues of public importance. The Broadcaster Freedom Act will prevent the FCC or any future President from reinstating the Fairness Doctrine. This legislation ensures true freedom and fairness will remain on our radio airwaves, and I would encourage my colleagues to cosponsor and support this bill.

"John F. Kennedy stated, 'We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.'"

I'd love to be able to guarantee that a reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine could never get passed out of the Senate or signed by the president, but after the debacle of the immigration bill, anything is possible.