Fairness Doctrine on the Senate floor; Update: DeMint bill passes 87-11, but so does Durbin’s
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From Sen. Jim DeMint’s office:
Today, at 2pm, the Senate will vote on two amendments with respect to the Fairness Doctrine.
- The DeMint amendment (Broadcaster Freedom Act) would ban the Fairness Doctrine.
- The amendment by Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) would achieve the same goals of the Fairness Doctrine through backdoor FCC regulations. His legislation forces the FCC to “take actions to encourage and promote diversity in communication media ownership,” an attempt to dismantle successful syndicated radio programs. The Durbin amendment would hurt small, local radio stations who depend on popular syndicated programming for listeners and revenue.
Here’s an article that seems to get at what Durbin’s amendment is about.
Senator DeMint will encourage all senators to OPPOSE the Durbin Amendment.
The Duct Tape Brigade is out there in full force.
Eternal vigilance is required.
***
Update 1:30pm Eastern. The DeMint amendment passes 87-11, but as Sen. DeMint Tweets: “Our ban on Fairness Doctrine passes 87-11. But fight not over, Dems have attacked from back door on media ownership, localism.”
More from The Hill.
Durbin’s measure passed 57-41.
See what others have said
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They’re about to bring back the “Guns that look mean” ban, too. Dagnabit! I don’t have the spare change right now to buy one before they pass it!
Mchristian, the new “rule” governing the Constitution, since the ’30s, is that if it agrees with the congress, it’s defended quite strongly. If it disagrees with the congress, it is ignored. The supreme court and the federal courts are too busy legislating to concern themselves with something that might be unconstitutional. And, a lot of Americans don’t care; they look to the entitlements.
RogerCfromSD said:
lgm, really, could you be a bigger jackass if you tried?
Actually, I think lgm does try and if, as they say, practice makes perfect, he should be darn close to perfect by now.
Ed said
That’s what bothers me when people keep talking about Socialism. Most think Euro-style and don’t think of it as evil. What hussein is shooting for is Marxism or Communism, and that’s what we should be calling it.
How the socialists feel about socialism:
A century of failure proves nothing.
This is proof that liberalism is a mental disorder. The definition of crazy is to continue to do the same thing over and over and expect different results.
Liberals keep trying socialism over and over and every time, they expect good results. However, all the people get is misery, loss of rights, loss of property, and in the end, loss of life.
There has never been a successful socialist country. Ever. If socialism is so great, then why, after nearly 50 years of suffering through it, East Germany threw off the shackles of socialism and chose freedom instead? Why didn’t free West Germany join with the “workers paradise” of socialist East Germany? Because after you suffer the misery of socialism you want to be free.
The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.
- Winston Churchill
I appreciate your response. We may differ politically, but it sounds as though we’re agreed on opposing any incarnation of the Fairness Doctrine.
LGM you are a liar and your side uses the scare tactics fully with the backing of the media which is in your court. Notice Durbin doesn’t seem to mind the tv media having the fair doctrine does he? He doesn’t mind that the paper media has the fairness doctrine either. He is only attacking the one media that he can’t control as of now. There is plenty of space on the radio for leftys to put their radio stations on now. Just go do it.
There will be a revolt if anything that looks, or smells like a “Fairness” Doctrine passes. Guaranteed. If those fools want a fight with the silent majority, pass the “Fairness Doctrine”, go ahead, make my day…
Somehow, “Fairness Doctrine” just doesn’t describe what this really is. We need to change it to censorship, as it actually is! The liberals named it, like they named “stimulus bill”, which is actually “reparations bill”. We need to stop falling into their trap.
Thank you Michelle,the dems don’t want freedom of speech unless it is theirs.
Well, now. If the liberals have to be given a chance to purchase media outlets in areas which lack diversity then let it happen. Sell at market rates.
Then purchase the stations back after the lefties lose the shirts off their backs trying to promote their agenda over the radio. The price should be well under the price for which you sold the station.
{^_-}
garydt (#107)
I think you have it backwards. The fairness doctrine (not the fair doctrine) is that media using public airwaves should not be allowed to favor one or the other political party. If they have a show bashing Democrats, they should have an equal show bashing Republicans. This applies to broadcast media only, not cable and not print or internet.
That means TV (not cable) and radio. The radio part was dropped maybe 20 years ago. This made is possible for Republican hatemongers like Limbaugh to make a profit trashing America.
Do you want equal opportunity or equal outcomes, lgm? Be honest.
Laree – You sure were right. The Turban Durbin amendment passed, backdoor “fairness” doctrine.
Salt said (#113):
In media, equal opportunity is best for liberals. Put Hannity in a fair debate with Maddow, and Hannity will be exposed for the fraud he is.
That’s your opinion and it skirts the question. By contrast, Air America did poorly, even in a liberal market.
So, I ask again: Do you want equal opportunity or equal outcome?
If liberals knew how to manage a budget and would not put their dopey ideology of “progress” above that of journalistic integrity, they would not be in the mess they are in.