FCC Chair Julius Genachowski testified in 2009 he wasn’t going to revive it. And he hasn't.
Candidate Obama was against bringing it back; President Obama has never proposed a revival.
Nancy Pelosi didn't bring it up when she had the power, neither has Leader Harry Reid.
We speak, of course, of the Fairness Doctrine, an FCC policy which required access to broadcast stations of opposing views, and discussion of controversial issues.
It was dropped by the FCC in 1987.
Nonetheless, Republican House members Greg Walden (Ore.) and Mike Pence (Ind.) are setting up the straw man to be knocked down once more. They've proposed another bill to banish it ... again.
That's because it's as alive today in the right-wing media bubble as it was in the '80's.
It's a scary golem which breathes and walks because Rush Limbaugh and Mark Levin, and Glenn Beck, and Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham want it to. It's good for business.
After the Tucson shootings, there was well-earned blame heaped on talk radio, Fox News, and Glenn Beck, and Rush, et al for the extreme heat of civic discourse.
But depite all the drang 'n' shit, there was never any serious discussion of reinstating the FD, (which couldn't have prevented violent talk OR the tragedy if it still existed).
But it gave Rush an opportunity to erect the phony issue again, and to flex his muscles with such as Rep. Mike Pence, who is considering a run at the Indiana governorship. Pence (who was once a radio talk host at WRCR-FM - now WIFE-FM - in Rushville, Indiana) needs Rush in any future he might consider in politics.
Limbaugh, who dominates everything he's involved with (especially his dinner plate) never passes up an opportunity for another helping of victimhood. It's all win-win (or in this case, wing-wing) for everyone involved.
So Republicans are hard at work on a bill to banish something that's already been banished. I thought after the rape-redefining abortion bill they'd want to take a break.
Posted by: tigsnort | February 15, 2011 at 12:29 AM
I'm remembering Archie Bunker's famous editorial comments and The Credibility Gap's Editorial reply. For the record, it is still a Great Gift Idea, and Mr. DeLumbra is still brain damaged.
Posted by: LucasFoxx | February 15, 2011 at 08:19 AM
Aggressive stupidity continues.
Kind of like a reading teacher who has a classroom library of nothing but comic books. We need the Fairness Doctrine because it makes us smarter.
But half the country prefers stupid. Go figure.
Posted by: joanie | February 15, 2011 at 08:19 AM
Another bill solely for the purpose of posturing, with zero chance of becoming law. This is what happens when you have a party that seems, as a whole, more interested in scoring points than governing. When they get a chance to govern, you don't get conservative governance; you get a train wreck, because most of the grown-ups who understand stewardship and responsibility to the whole have been drummed out of the modern Republican Party.
Posted by: Pete | February 15, 2011 at 09:59 AM
I see it the same as if you are a middle aged white guy driving from Long Beach to downtown Los Angeles on South Alameda, passing through Compton, Willowbrook, Watts, Vernon, etc. You don't leave in the trunk. It is kept on the seat next to you, with one in the chamber just in case.
You never drop your guard or the crooks will take advantage.
Posted by: Right Leaning and Right | February 15, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Walden who also owned radio stations in Hood River, was the first member of Congress to contract H1N1 swine flu. Maybe he needs more rest.
Posted by: Coiler | February 15, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Not so fast...there's more than what Michael Hood's telling us. Seems the 3rd highest ranking democrat in the US House of Representatives, James Clyburn, first called for a reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine last month as a result of the recent Tucson shooting. Here's the link for those who always want a source...
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/jan/10/clyburn-words-can-be-danger/
Hmmm...Hood didn't state one source in his article...Perhaps we should hold him to the same standards we do our fellow bloggers before we jump on the Hood bandwagon.
On a similar note (from a previous thread), Hood's headline read, "40% of Republicans: Obama is a Muslim." After researching it, I found that the 40% figure actually came from a Frank Luntz poll (embedded within Hood's video post) of 25 members of the Iowa Republican Caucus--10 of them believe Obama is a Muslim. Hardly a representative sample from which to make a headline, Hood.
Here's an interesting comparison of 2 polls on this issue (Time & Pew) that illustrate why polls are only as good as the folks who develop them.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/behind-the-numbers/2010/08/obama_is_a_muslim_18_24_or.html
Just more examples of why we all need to be more careful before we leap to opinions and judgments.
Posted by: Radio Queen | February 15, 2011 at 03:47 PM
I thought the thread showed a Congressman failing to apprise his constituent of his false beliefs. You can nit-pick, RQ, but you can't change what you saw.
Posted by: The Anti-Dori | February 15, 2011 at 03:52 PM
Just because Clyburn shot off his mouth about it egged on the GOP to vote to kill the Fairness Doctrine. Yeah, it's posturing. The leftists in Congress and currently inhabiting the White House cannot be trusted any more than Osama bin Laden or the islamist clerics. Draw your own conclusions - it pains me to say that - not a new revelation. The Bush WH wasn't much better as they were less ruthless, IMO.
The prez could always sign an exec order to invoke it, if he felt like it. Wasn't it eliminated by an exec. order signed by Reagan ?
Posted by: KS | February 15, 2011 at 06:58 PM
Dead is dead.
Posted by: sparky | February 15, 2011 at 08:41 PM
Dead is dead as long as the right is so aggressively stupid and the left so aggressively timid.
so now we're comparing the left to Osama Bin Laden, KS? There's just no inbetween with you, is there?
Posted by: joanie | February 15, 2011 at 09:22 PM
Just telling it like it is. You would agree with the similarities between Osama bin Laden and the Bush White House as would have many of your cohorts (i.e. Sparky, Rhino, Coils, et.al.) level of trust - right ?
It cuts both ways - this WH is every bit as dishonest and deceitful as the last one (more so, IMO). I was not equating their suicide bombing potential with the White House - think you might have been reading that into it.
Posted by: KS | February 15, 2011 at 10:06 PM
You are klueless about how it is.
Posted by: joanie | February 15, 2011 at 10:41 PM
"So I don't see it [the Pence bill] coming to the floor," Pelosi said.
"Do you personally support revival of the ‘Fairness Doctrine?'" I asked.
"Yes," the speaker replied, without hesitation.
Also on record in support: Reid, Feinstein, Schumer, and Durbin, So which is it? Were Dems lying then, or are they lying now?
Posted by: woody held | February 16, 2011 at 03:57 AM
They are always lying. Bitches!!!
Posted by: Right Leaning and Right | February 16, 2011 at 09:18 AM
Different name, same game. Grow up.
Posted by: joanie | February 16, 2011 at 09:43 PM
after you grow up, which is when pigs fly. You take delight in being a snot doncha ?
Posted by: KS | February 16, 2011 at 09:47 PM