Reader Email: First Amendment & ‘Fairness’
Les Chimes in on Obama’s 1st Amendment Assault
A few days ago I ran a piece on President Obama’s FCC “Diversity Czar” Mark Lloyd and his statements about the First Amendment. (Read More Here) Reader Les always has great feedback and he added quite a bit to the discussion.
Les Writes:
The Obama Administration knows they’d have a firestorm if they try to bring back the fairness doctrine. So, they are coming at it from a different direction. Under the plan they’ve proposed, any radio station that does not meet their standards of diversity would be fined 100% of their annual operating budget or 250 Million dollars. The fines would be distributed to National Public Radio. Thinks about that, a fine equal to 100% of the annual operating budget. If they get this pushed through the only possible result is talk radio disappears. The Democratic party says it’s unfair that talk radio is dominated by right wing programs. The reason for that is no one will buy advertising on far left talk shows. Air America went bankrupt because no one listened to it, not because the playing field was unfair.
If they can silence talk radio, porn will be next, then what: mainstream movies, tv, and books? The Federal Government now owns insurance companies, banks, GM and Chrysler. When they take over the airwaves we are doomed.
Les
As usual Les, you have added much to think about. The only possible result of the return of the ‘Fairness Doctrine’ is the destruction of talk radio as we know. This of course, is the point. They don’t like the political speech they hear so they want to silence it. You can dress that up any way you want to and call it “fairness” or “diversity” or “chicken fucking sorbet” but it is simply fascism at its best. Had the Bush Administration attempted to run this sort of crap out to ‘diversify’ NBC/CBS/CNN/ABC or the New York Times/Newsweek/LA Times, people would have taken to the streets and they would have been right to do so. This assault on the First Amendment should offend all Americans. When we don’t agree with political speech we turn it off. When we want to hear “our” side discussed, we find it on the airwaves. When you can’t find it you create it. If the left is pissed that Rush and co thrive while Air America failed and Pacific struggles (For the record, Pacifica puts on some GREAT left-leaning programs. If you hate right wring talk radio, seek out your local Pacific station and listen.) is because the audiences that listen to those shows spend money and make it worth while for advertisers to spend money. (Just like Stern folks and no one wanted the FCC coming down on him.) Every American right, left or otherwise has a vested interest in stopping this absurd attack on our most basic freedoms. Mr. Lloyd may not feel that the First Amendment is his “concern” but he may find that most Americans do not share his point of view. With any luck he can be unconcerned about our freedoms while searching for another job.
