Fairness Doctrine Update for Hardcore Skeptics

Unpleasant truths are very often denied or carefully avoided. It's a human phenomenon. And when it comes to the ideological arena, a truth is often altogether rejected by those who may find that truth discomforting or at odds with their partisan view of reality. That's just the way it is.

And on the issue of whether or not liberals support the reimposition of the Fairness Doctrine (FD), or a facsimile thereof, skeptics abound among our liberal partisan friends. But, for the disbelievers, here's more substantiation, more truth for their thoughtful and objective consideration.

During a 2/15 intervciew with Chris Wallace/FOX News, David Axelrod was asked if he could "rule out reimposition of the Fairness Doctrine". True to cryptic form, Axelrod responded this way: "I'm going to leave that issue to Julius Genachowski, our new head of the FCC (Federal Communications Communication), and the president, to discuss. So I don't have an answer for you now."

His response clearly depreciates the certitude of Obama's press secretary, Michael Ortiz, when, in June 2008, Ortiz flatly contended that "Sen. Obama does not support reimposing the Fairness Doctrine on broadcasters."

To further add to my suspicions regarding the true position of this administration and the liberal elite on this subject, during a 2/13 interview with Michael Savage, a conservative talk radio host, Jerry Brown, Attorney General of California, opined that "a little [government] control wouldn't hurt anybody." When Savage countered that the FD is intended to shut down conservative talk radio, Brown gratuitously labelled Savage as "paranoid", but failed to intellectually dispute Savage's assertion. So much for rational discourse.

When one adds to these exchanges the public support for the FD's reimpositon by Democratic Senators Stabenow, Harkin, Sanders, Durbin, Kerry, Bingaman, Schumer and Representatives Slaughter, Hinchey, Eschoo and Pelosi, among many others, is it any wonder that my humble, groundless, fear-mongering, paranoid guess is that the Fairness Doctrine is definitely on course for reimposition--in one form or another, that is--when and if the Democrats can get away with it? And, of course, the White House's reluctance to express an unambiguous position on the issue justifiably confirms my growing suspicions.

And let's not forget that former Prez Clinton has now joined the growing list of Fairness Doctrine proponents. During a recent interview, he stated that the U.S. "ought to have the Fairness Doctrine or we ought to have more balance on the other side." No equivocator he.

Simply put, legislating or otherwise federally directing "fairness" (socialist code for uniformity and control) is tyranny. To expect government control of the airwaves to positively affect broadcast freedom is nothing short of oxymoronic. In a republic, a Fairness Doctrine is very much akin to censorship, a disservice to every citizen of every political persuasion. What's worse is that the republic for which we stand would be effectively undermined.

Amazingly, Bill Press, liberal talk radio host, recently said this: "Maybe it's time to bring back the Fairness Doctrine--and bring competition back to talk radio in Washington and elsewhere." Huh? And just how does government regulation and control of the free market of ideas encourage competition? Duh. To add to this inanity, in a subsequent telephone interview with POLITICO.COM, Press contradicted himself by saying that while he thinks it's important to raise the issue, he personally thinks that resurrecting the Fairness Doctrine "makes about as much sense as bringing back black-and-white television." Whew! To say the least, the cerebral gymnastics are dizzying. Are these people so blindly ideological that they are unaware of what they're saying moment to moment? Or do they embrace the truth only when they're caught. Perhaps a crash course in Logic--and a quick re-reading of the Bill of Rights for good measure--would assist them out of their intellectual malaise on the subject. Geez.

Owing to our vigilance and timely protestations, I suspect the doctrine's reimposition is necessarily on the back burner--for now, that is. But, you can be sure that many liberals are quietly fashioning some sort of suppressive policy to ram through when and if the time is ripe. Like a wily fox stalking its prey, they hunger for control and uniformity. Thus, I think we can safely bet they won't give up the fight easily. Only our continued vigilance and determined opposition will safeguard our hard-won freedoms of speech and the press.

("Errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it." Thomas Jefferson)

(" The firmness with which the people have withstood the abuses of the press, the discernment they have manifested between truth and falsehood, show that they may safely be trusted to hear everything true and false and to form a correct judgement between them." Thomas Jefferson)