Simple Man Politics

Welcome to the Friday edition of Simple Man Politics. I have been waiting for suggestions from all of you my readers as to what I should write about on Friday's. This is an attempt to get all of you involved. It is also an attempt to explore ideas and spark debate. However since I have had no suggestions for this Friday's post I have decided to write about the Fairness Doctrine.

The Fairness Doctrine was a US FCC (Federal Communications Commission) policy. The policy required those who hold broadcast licenses to two things. One it required them to present controversial issues that were considered important publicly and two to do so honestly. The Fairness Doctrine was introduced to the US in 1949 and was abolished in 1987.

The reason that the Fairness Doctrine was abolished by the FCC in a 4-0 vote in the Syracuse Peace Council was because they found that the enforcement of the Fairness Doctrine by the government with regard to content programming restricted the journalistic freedom of broadcasters. This decision was upheld by the Appeals Court for the DC District in 1989.

In 1987 the Democrat controlled congress attempted to codify the Fairness Doctrine but then President Ronald Reagan vetoed the legislation. In 1991 the Democrat controlled congress attempted to revive the legislation but under threat of veto by President George H. W. Bush the movement died.

There is now some support for re instituting the Fairness Doctrine. People like Senator John Kerry (D-MA), Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Congressperson Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)just to name three are very interested in bringing back the Fairness Doctrine. The reason for that is their stated belief that commentators should have to offer opposing points of political view. they also believe that the Fairness Doctrine should be applied to websites, bloggers, cable TV, and satellite radio. Basically anyone or anything that offers political commentary like me.

there is opposition to the Fairness Doctrine as well. many prominent libertarians and conservatives oppose the Fairness Doctrine saying that it is an attempt by the Democrats who hate the success of conservative talk radio and have nothing but contempt for conservative commentators. The opposition also says that the Fairness Doctrine could include government dictated content policy, which means telling broadcasters and commentators what they can and cannot say. The opposition forces against the Fairness Doctrine will also tell you that media scarcity, liberal viewpoints being stymied at the corporate level, and public interests are all myths. it is important to note at this time that the Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama is against reinstating the Fairness Doctrine.

The liberal democrats have the 3 major broadcasting companies ABC, NBC, and CBS firmly ensconced in their back pockets as well as MSNBC and CNN on cable outlets. They also have a host of Internet and print outlets that cater to their Socialist, Marxist, liberal ideology. The real reason they want the Fairness Doctrine back is to use it as a club to attack the right wing conservative broadcasters and commentators because they are consistently more successful at getting their message out in the venues they choose to occupy.

Fox news destroys its competition daily in the ratings war, with people like Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity leading the way over there. In talk radio you have personalities like Rush Limbaugh, Matt Drudge, and Dr. Michael Savage who constantly attack the left on the issues with facts that are indisputable and as a result the left cannot successfully defend themselves. The conservative print media is just as effective with publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, The Weekly Standard, and Roll call on the front lines in the print war.

I personally believe that the Fairness Doctrine is a bad piece of legislation that may have been necessary at its inception but has no place in our current media culture. From one end of the media spectrum to the other you can find political points of view from both sides of the political arena. This attempt to resuscitate the Fairness doctrine is the lefts chance to destroy all of it's opposition while it is in power in both houses of Congress. They will not brook any successful opposition to them if they can help it. I believe that this is because they fear the truth.

That is all for today and this week my friends. I will see you all again on Monday. Have a fabulous weekend CIAO4NOW!!!!!