"Fairness Doctrine" Brazen Liberal Ploy to Muzzle Opposition

Since liberal talk radio has been unable to successfully compete in the free market, liberals are again pushing for the re-imposition of the so-called Fairness Doctrine, the purpose of which is to force radio broadcasters to preempt commercially viable conservative talk radio. It's really that horribly simple.

By forcing broadcasters to provide "equal time" to less marketable opposing points of view, the disarmingly misnamed Fairness Doctrine would, in effect, grant presidential-appointed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) bureaucrats, reminiscent of Goebbel's Propaganda Ministry, the draconian power to shut down conservative talk radio.

Rep. Louise Slaughter, entrenched local congressional rep, her party boss, Nancy Pelosi, easily the most shamelessly partisan, obscenely self-serving and obstructionist House Speaker in American history, and Senator Diane Feistein, another liberal lackey from California, have been key proponents of the Fairness Doctrine's re-imposition on American broadcasters and upon the American people.

In alliance with these protectors of our 1st amendment rights, the so-called "media reform movement"--of which Dan Rather, disgraced CBS anchor, and Bill Moyers, an inveterate left wing nut, are members--is pulling all stops to ensure that broadcast consumers--you and I--are denied the choice of what we wish to hear on the airwaves. And because conservative talk radio has been so popular--and, thus, more commercially viable than liberal talk radio--the Democratic Party finds it once again necessary to do what the free market is unwilling to do: to silence conservative talk radio once and for all. Apparently, de facto liberal domination of TV and the print media is simply not enough.

To explain it another way, in a free market, programming dictates listenership and the level of advertising dollars to sustain that programming. Naturally, advertisers are not interested in doling out advertising dollars for programming with lousy listenership. That's just good 'ole common business sense. And since unpopular programming, such as liberal talk radio, will not attract the level of advertiser dollars needed to profitably sustain those broadcasts, the Fairness Doctrine will enable the FCC to compel broadcasters to shut down conservative radio programming as well. All in the lofty interest of fairplay and of leveling the playing field, of course. Get it? Clever ploy, huh?

In his politically expedient effort to tack to the center, Obama recently professed his opposition to the Fairness Doctrine. But, since his heart-felt positions on other issues over the past several months have proven to be disturbingly meaningless, I don't count on his keeping his word on this important issue either. Should Obama become President of the United States and attempt to transform this country into the "Socialist Republic of America", the transition will entail relentless--and very likely successful--efforts to effectively quell opposing political viewpoints as well. To suppress conservative talk radio, all a President Obama would need do is appoint one more liberal to the FCC and, by FCC fiat alone, consumer choice in radio broadcasting will be dead, and with it another nail in the coffin of our once inalienable rights will have been driven. And what will be next? It would only be a matter of time before cable, satellite and the internet are also "regulated"> Big Brother is on the move again.

To counter this encroachment on our freedom of choice, Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind) has introduced the Broadcaster Freedom Act (HR 2905) which would permanently bar reinstatement of the sinister Fairness Doctrine. Currently stuck in the Democrat-controlled Energy & Commerce Committee, he has been pushing hard for a discharge petition which would force an up or down vote on the House Floor. So far, he has 200 signatures--but not ONE Democrat has signed on! Needed as of today are 18 more signatures to get the bill to the floor over the objection of Comrade Pelosi and her lickspittles on the Committee.

If Americans are prohibited from choosing the programming or newsprint they wish to hear or read, democracy will have been dealt another blow and tyranny will have won a crucial victory. Safeguarding our future as a vibrant republic of laws and individual liberty is up to us alone.

Please call, write or email your reps in D.C. and DEMAND of them that they sign on to Rep. Mike Pence's discharge petition, thus allowing the Broadcaster Freedom Act to come to the floor for a vote NOW! You've only your 1st amendment rights to lose if you don't take a stand.

("Our massive strategy was to use the Fairness Doctrine to challenge and harass right-wing broadcasters and hope the challenges would be so costly to them that they would be inhibited and decide it was too expensive to continue." Bill Ruder, JFK's Assistant Secretary of Commerce on the Fairness Doctrine)

("Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation begins by subduing freeness of speech." Benjamin Franklin)

("If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all." Noam Chomsky)