Doug Ross @ Journal

Extending the 'fairness doctrine' to its logical conclusion

Ah, those wascaly Democwats! Apparently unsatisifed with controlling ABC, CBS, CNN, PMSNBC, NBC, PBS, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and most of the remaining mainstream media, some on the left are demanding a return to the days of the 'Fairness Doctrine'.

Laughably misnamed, the doctrine existed prior to 1987 and effectively suppressed political editorial commentary on radio stations. Once challenged, it quickly disintegrated on various First Amendment grounds. Crushing the doctrine resulted in the rich landscape of popular talk radio dominated by personalities like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Glenn Beck, and the like. In other words, radio discovered the conservative American voice.

You'd have thought television news moguls would have raised an eyebrow and noticed this phenomenon. But you'd have been wrong. Only Rupert Murdoch (Fox News) solved the daunting equation, along with what is 2 + 2?.

Hoping to return to the days of a single, unvarnished mediacratic news message, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), along with Representatives Maurice Hinchey (D-umb), Louise Slaughter (D-umber), and Dennis Kucinich (D-umbest), have led the charge for new legislation that would reinstate the "Fairness Doctrine."

So let's extend the doctrine to its logical conclusion:

1) Political talk radio would be required to represent all voices: Liberal, Conservative, Libertarian, Communists, Classic Marxists, Authoritarians, etc.
2) Religious shows would be forced to offer equal time to all religions: with Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and all other religions and sects represented.
3) Sports radio would be forced to offer equal time to all sports: programming time for baseball, football, and basketball would be reduced while curling, lacrosse, and pro tiddlywinks would warrant drive-time slots.

Once again, the take-away is simple. Liberals don't trust Capitalism, the most efficient value creation system yet invented by man. One would've thought that the brutal, murderous failures of the Soviet Union, North Korea, Cuba, etc. would have suitably demonstrated -- even for a "progressive" -- that Socialism is an irreparably warped system. Instead, they want to suppress free speech through regulation.

I'd call the scheme hare-brained, but that would be an unforgivable insult to all hares.