American Republic Online

Kerry on the so-called Fairness Doctrine: “conservatives got rid of the equal time requirements…and have been able to squeeze out opposing views.”  He wants to bring it back.  (Just a refresher: the Supreme Court ruled that the Doctrine “inescapably dampens the vigor and limits the variety of public debate.”)
Again, why is it a good idea for the government to decide what we listen to on the radio?  The question is, where will it end?  Should we make sure there is equal time for communist and anarchy programing?  We want to make sure that all viewpoints are considered.  At what point does the government stop and say it’s up to the listeners to decide?  If we stop and consider that the radio stations are in it for the money, then they will program what people listen to.  Has no one else in this country ever turned to a station and say “I thought this was a country/rock/etc station?”  The format had been changed, because the station managers thought the new format would attract more listeners.  Not because all they really wanted was an all-Latin-all-the-time station.  Is it any wonder why the only stations that can get away with playing classical music are the local public broadcasting?  Most people have no desire to listen to it.  This would inevitably be the case if liberal talk radio programs are forced upon us: they will have to be subsidized.  More tax dollars spent on what the government thinks is best for us.  Not convinced?  Remember Air America?  They had to pay stations to broadcast their shows.  (Limbaugh and his like take a few commercials from the local stations.)  How about this: let us keep our money, so we can spend it on new HD radios so we can hear Limbaugh puff on his cigars.

(For those interested: evil, “conservative” judges Bork and Scalia (not yet on SCOTUS) upheld the FD in 1986.  It was then abolished by the FCC in 1987.  The 100th Congress (a Dem Congress) tried to bring it back, but Reagan vetoed it.  Not exactly a group of back-room conservatives plotting to overthrow the media…)