DeMint Takes on the Democrats to Ban the Fairness Doctrine

On Business & Media, they explain what Senator DeMint (R-SC) is doing about the Fairness Doctrine. In “They Want our Freedom of Speech Next,” I discussed the Fairness Doctrine more in depth and what the government wants to do. Then earlier this week, Obama said he was against the reinstituting the Fairness Doctrine, while Rep Henry Waxman (D-CA) and the FCC are meeting discussing how to reinstitute the doctrine. Not only do they want to shutdown Talk Radio but they are aiming to regulate the Internet and Christian Radio. They want to attack the entire First Amendment now. This has become very typical of this administration; say one thing while doing another.

DeMint, a rising-star Conservative Republican, has an ingenious plan to force the Democrats to show their political hand. He plans to introduce an amendment to the D.C. Voting Bill to ban the Fairness Doctrine. (This voting bill is unconstitutional, but this debate is for another day.) The Democrats want this bill to pass to add more Congressmen by statute.

By doing this, DeMint has put the Democrats in a tough political spot. Democrats will have to vote up or down on his amendment. The entire country would see who is for or against the “Fairness Doctrine.” If he is successful in adding this, Republicans have a win-win. If the Democrats vote down on the amendment, it shows who wants the doctrine. If he gets it added and they vote no on the bill, a bad bill goes down and he proves that the Democrats are for the Fairness Doctrine and want to attack the First Amendment. But, if they vote for it, then the Fairness Doctrine is dead and our First Amendment is safe for now.

It is great to see Republicans and some people in Washington trying to save some our liberties instead of trying to limit or abolish them.