Well, I could count on one hand how many times this has happened, and it's NEVER cause Bush is right... but because the Democrats are just flat out wrong...


What the hell? Usually I just pitty Democrats - but now I feel this feeling welling up inside - one might call it "loathing".

Seriously. How do you mandate objectible media? Why should it be regulated?

WTF!?

One additional odd point, this does point against the idea of a liberal media.  If the Dems are trying to place a fairness doctrine now, then one has to ask why?

Why would the Dems want equal air time and the Reps go against it when at one point in history the reverse was true (when there was a clear bias)?

Just a question to ask one's self.

The free market should dictate who gets airtime on private channels.

If people wanted liberal talk radio it would exists and be thriving but its not.

Oh please... Don't any of you really know anything about the Fairness Doctrine? And don't you all(except for Reaganite) know better than to believe anything Bush says without checking it out first?

First... Reagan did not start the doctrine. It was started back in 1949. The Reagan Administration was just instrumental in getting rid of the fairness doctrine.
Second... The fairness doctrine was found by the Supreme Court to be constitutional back in 69. And that ruling has never been overturned.
Third... The fairness doctrine covers public airwaves and not private channels.
And forth... The fairness doctrine is not intended to silence anyone.  That is a lie. Its purpose is to make sure people are exposed to both sides of a argument.

There are some very good reasons to reinstate the doctrine as well some legitimate reasons not to. So before you all go off and condemn Democrats because of this, stop and think about it for a bit.

What would be so horrible if Rush Limbaugh had to let liberals on his show to actually debate him? Has anyone ever noticed that you never see him able to debate anybody on a level playing field? Its because he has told so many lies and spread so much misinformation that he doesn't know fact from fiction. I watched the one time Rush tried it... he got his ass handed to him on a silver plater. And if the millions of people who believe everything he says were exposed to some truth many would realize how wrong he is all the time. That would hopefully force him to get some real live research staff and learn some facts or lose his listeners. There are a lot of pundits out there who are just as bad as Rush and I believe they are one of the main reasons why so many people in this country are so misinformed.

Sure... I wish we didn't need the government to get involved and I believe in free speech but I think that there are lots of political pundits on the public air waves that are doing more harm to this country than good.

Liberals can just start their own program....which they have. All you want to do shut the Right up, which isn't free speech good sir........

Yeah... you may be right. I don't know for sure how the fairness doctrine would be enforced if reinstated. And I doubt if you really know for sure either.

I think the best way would be if the both sides were to actually let the other side on their shows for a fair debate. But to be honest that wouldn't go over to well with many on the right. People like Limbaugh would be shown to be the dumb asses that they really are. And he would do everything in his power to prevent that from happening. As a matter of fact Rush would probably quit before he would face a liberal in a fair debate. So Broadcasters might want to go with what you suggest. But that would mean the broadcaster's would actually have to drop right wing shows to put the left shows on. That would in fact silence some hosts, limit free speech and cause a loss of profits. That would be unconstitutional. I think the only fair way to bring back the fairness doctrine would be to force everyone to have fair debates instead of just forcing equal time for leftist hosts.


What makes you think they care? Since when has any agency under the leadership of Bush actually cared about anything except big business? If this doctrine is brought back before Bush leaves office it will be done by Congress and not the FCC.

Is this based on personal experience?

Have you actually ever even listened to any leftist radio programs?

Your the one who started this thread. Why don't you quit just bashing the left and actually debate the issue?

The problem I have is that what passes for discourse on TV and radio is starkly limited by the establishment. Limbaugh, Olbermann, O'Reilly, Franken, etc. are simply hacks, in most cases partisan hacks. True non-conformists, either of the left or right, are shut out. Where are people like Alexander Cockburn, Joe Sobran, Steve Sailer, Jeffrey St. Clair and others like them? Perhaps the establishment doesn't want their messages out, eh?

OswaldTheOsprey