Still Crying Wolf? Democrats Reviving Fairness Doctrine

Last November Patrick Ruffini wrote a provocative post entitled, "Crying Wolf on the Fairness Doctrine." Ruffini warned that conservatives were missing the big picture and wasting time and effort focusing on the left's interest in restoring regulation of political speech on the airwaves:

Sorry to burst anyone's bubble, but liberals are unlikely to upset the apple cart with alternative media ... The reimposition of the Fairness Doctrine went nowhere when Rush was on the rise in 1993, and it will go nowhere next year or the year, especially with conservative talk radio no longer the center of the universe.

So, why does it bother me that some people focus on the issue?

First off, even with the proliferation of media, there is only so much bandwidth in the media ecosystem for conservative opposition messages. Do you really want to waste it on a nothing-burger like the Fairness Doctrine? There are enough legitimate threats - endless bailouts, runaway deficit spending, nationalized health care, card check - that I don't think we can afford to throw away our limited political capital on a non-issue.

Well, considering the Democratic-left is on the verge of passing its $787 billion economic stimulus package (the House voted on straight party lines to approve the measure, which now goes to the Senate for a final vote), it's worth remember that so far this year talk radio - and Rush Limbaugh in particular - has already been extremely effective in leading conservative oppostion to the Obama administration's shift to state socialism. We're already seeing radical leftists attacking the GOP as "Talibanized Republicans," and that kind of language is certainly a precursor to legislative efforts to defeat the right's "insurgency" against Democratic fiscal profligacy and moral bankruptcy. Indeed, as CNN reports, plans to shut down right-wing criticism of the Democratic regime are building steam:

More and more Democrats in Congress are calling for action that Republicans warn could muzzle right-wing talk radio.

Representative Maurice Hinchey, a Democrat from New York is the latest to say he wants to bring back the "Fairness Doctrine," a federal regulation scrapped in 1987 that would require broadcasters to present opposing views on public issues.

"I think the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated," Hinchey told CNNRadio. Hinchey says he could make it part of a bill he plans to introduce later this year overhauling radio and t-v ownership laws.

Listen: Hinchey says he wants to make talk-radio more fair.

Democratic Senators Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Tom Harkin of Iowa added their voices recently to those calling for a return of the regulation.

I know personally that leftists are mental incompetents who are eternal impotent from competing in the marketplace of ideas. Instead, they resort to fearmongering, intimidation, and threats of legal action to silence Americans of good moral standing from lifting the veil of Democratic totalitarianism. "Gird your loins, people."