On American Thinker, there is a great report, “Megaphone Envy and the Fairness Doctrine,” with a lot of great information comparing Conservative and Liberal radio.
After reading this, you will see that there is more than enough fairness with radio coverage for Liberal stations compared to Conservative ones. The argument that the Left makes that they do not have access or a voice on radio is a “straw man” argument. Even the diversity of ownership argument (Durbin Doctrine) is meaningless with this information. There are plenty of Liberal radio stations. This information shatters their arguments.
The ratings are a complete different story. This story shows that in major markets all over the country, people have a choice between Liberal stations and Conservative. They overwhelmingly chose Conservative, though. This has nothing to do with fairness or lack of accessibility. It has everything to do with freedom of choice.
I have said this so many times. No one wants to see, read, or watch the Liberal agenda day after day or hour after hour, not even Liberals. That is why their ratings are so low on radio and TV.
So, why are they attacking Conservative radio with these “straw man” arguments? The Left cannot stand that the Conservative message is getting out and that the “truth” is getting to millions of Americans. Remember, the truth always defeats lies.
So, instead of coming up with better ideas or telling the truth, the Left just wants to shut off our freedom of speech. This is the exact reason why we have this freedom, to express opposing ideas for better or worse.
Showing posts with label Freedom of Speech. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freedom of Speech. Show all posts
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
They Want our Freedom of Speech Next
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. — US Const., amend. I
While Congress is about to pass the largest governmental spending bill in world history and Obama tours America talking down the economy, Liberals are moving onto to their next assault on our Liberty—talk radio and an attack on the First Amendment.
The only place Conservatives have had any success in media is in radio. Other than the Internet and Fox News, Liberals dominate all the other forms of mass media. Just so we are clear, mass media is TV, newspapers, magazines, Internet, movies, books, and radio. There is not one regulation or law that created their monopoly. It just is. The liberal media bias has been well documented and the prevalence of liberal values in movies and TV is quite obvious.
Just as there are not any laws creating this Liberal dominance, there are not one conspiracy or injustice that created the Conservative dominance in radio. Actually, Liberals have the same opportunities on radio that any other demographic has. They have had numerous chances to have a spot on the radio dial. The fact is that Liberals could have a place on the radio if they produced a product that made any money. They just haven’t. That is not a conspiracy. That is Capitalism and Liberals hate Capitalism. The Liberals were neither entertaining nor effective. They were cancelled, just like a bad TV show in markets all over the country.
Now, keep in mind, there are quite a few successful Liberal hosts in markets that would support them. One of the syndicated Liberal radio networks that exists throughout America is the government-subsidized National Public Radio. Clear Channel tried to support and promote Air America, the only other private liberal network. But, it failed. Democrats and other liberal philanthropists heavily subsidized Air America. Please note not the marketplace, such as advertising dollars. Advertisers would not fund them, because no one wanted to, since they did not have the ratings.
Liberals have the freedom to have a radio show as much as you or I. There is absolutely nothing stopping them, expect for themselves. Oh…and there regressive, depressing ideas. The fact is no one, not even Liberals, want to hear the Liberal agenda all day.
So, to remedy this disparity, Liberals want to pass laws and regulations, the "Fairness Doctrine" to force their spot on the dial. They do not want to allow the free market to determine what radio stations broadcast. They don’t want YOU to decide. THEY want to decide for you.
The “Fairness Doctrine” would force radio stations to present controversial issues of public importance in a manner that would be politically balanced as judged by a government censor. This would regualte the speech on the radio. The regulation forces stations to find an alternvative points of view on ANY issue when challenged. When the reguatlion was in place before from 1949 to 1985, some simply avoided any coverage of some controversial issues to avoid the requirement to find alternative viewpoints on every issue raised. This “chilling effect” was just the opposite of what was intended by the regualtion. This governmental policy would force countless radio stations to change their formats to meet the “Fairness Doctrine.” This would force changes to conseverative radio shows, such Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, and coutlness others, all over the nation. Some may even be forced off the air.
Now, when asked them directly, ALL Democrats are taking the same position Obama does. All of them say they do NOT want to reinstate the “Fairness Doctrine.” But, to the contrary, since getting the majority in both Houses, Democrats HAVE been saying they want to reinstate the “Fairness Doctrine.” In June 2007, Senator Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) said, "It’s time to reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) was asked by John Gizzi of “Human Events”, “Do you personally support revival of the ‘Fairness Doctrine?’”, Pelosi said "Yes." On October 22, 2008, Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico) said on a radio show, "I would want this station and all stations to have to present a balanced perspective and different points of view," and "All I’m saying is that for many, many years we operated under a Fairness Doctrine in this country, and I think the country was well-served. I think the public discussion was at a higher level and more intelligent in those days than it has become since." On February 4, 2009, when asked about the “Fairness Doctrine,” Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) said to radio host and WND columnist Bill Press, “I think it's absolutely time to pass a standard. Now, whether it's called the Fairness Standard, whether it's called something else – I absolutely think it's time to be bringing accountability to the airwaves." On February 11th, 2009, Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) told radio host Bill Press, "..we gotta get the Fairness Doctrine back in law again." He continued, "...they are just shutting down progressive talk from one city after another," He, also, said, "Exactly, and that's why we need the fair -- that's why we need the Fairness Doctrine back." Finally, on February 12, 2009, Bill Clinton said, "Well, you either ought to have the Fairness Doctrine or we ought to have more balance on the other side," Clinton said, "because essentially there's always been a lot of big money to support the right wing talk shows and let face it, you know, Rush Limbaugh is fairly entertaining even when he is saying things that I think are ridiculous...."
According to Liberals, there isn’t any fairness and balance on the airwaves now and they cannot get their point view expressed. Now, they can have a radio show if they want. There is nothing stopping them from creating thier own balance on the radio. Also, they have NPR and Air America.
As a side note, keep in mind, Conservative Talk uses the Liberal point of view as the material of their shows. It is the foundation of their success! They read news stories from Liberal newspapers and comment on them. They play Liberal politician's sound bites and comments on them. The Liberal point of view is their show. Then, the host debates with callers who disagree with them first before people who agree with them. Why? It is entertaining! Talk is about entertainment.
Also, Liberals ignore the fact that they dominate the TV news with ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, and others. They ignore the fact they dominate maginizes like Time, U.S. News, NewsWeek, and others. They dominate the newspaper industry with the New York Times, Associated Press, Rueters, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and countless others.
Huh...? Where is the fairness and expression of the conservative point of view there. I have not mentioned book publishers, Internet sites, cable networks, and movie producers who all are dominated by Liberals.
Am I complaining? Absolutely not. This is what the market place has produced. If conseveratives want, they can make their own TV shows, newspapers, movies, Internet sites, and so on, and they have.
By the way, please note that newspapers are lossing subscribers in droves. Also, TV ratings are plumeting. Oh… people are not going to the movies that much anymore. That is strange. Many of the industries dominated by Liberals are losing an auidence.
What about Conservative radio and Fox News, you ask? Thier ratings are skyrocketing along with their advertising rates and revenues. Why? They are producing a product people want. TV, movies, and newspapers aren’t. Again, who wants to read or watch the Liberal agenda all time. No one, not even Liberals.
Now, if the “Fairness Doctrine” were reinstated, it would destroy radio stations all over the country. The AM band would lose its main revenue. Talk shows would be forced to cable, the Internet, or satellite. Terrestrial radio could be extinct in the next few years. The shows would not go away. The mode of dissemination would. It would cost jobs and a huge loss of capital. This would be a true injustice to an industry that has supported some many for so long. It would be harder for people to listen to conservative talk, if at all. Remember not everyone has the Internet, cable, or satellite.
So, the question is why are the Liberals pushing for the “Fairness Doctrine?”
Simple. They want to limit the speech, the First Amendment right, of conservatives. Limbaugh, Hannity, and Beck are a thorn in the Democrats political sides. They expose the truth on countless issues. They present a format where people can voice their opinions—Liberal, Conservative, or whatever (balance and fair.) When any hot issue has arisen, illegal immigration, the Stimulus Bill, the Dubai Ports deal, Harriet Meyers, Bill Ayers, Rev. Wright, Joe the Plumber, Monica Lewinski, Obama’s bitter clinger comment, Murtha’s racists statements, Byrd’s past associations with the KKK, Dodd’s specials loans, Rangel’s tax issues, Frank’s special loans, etc. (the list is endless) Talk radio was there fueling it. Exposing the TRUTH.
It is one of last true bastions of the First Amendment left in America. Only on radio can one express their opinion so freely. The First Amendment was devised by the Framer as the first line of defense for the People against the tyranny of the government. The First Amendment allows the People to express their opinions freely about greivances it has about the State. It allows us to publicly discuss any issue with anyone responsibly and expose the truth. Without it, the government could do whatever it wanted without the People exposing it or fighting it. We would not know what the State would be doing. From the following example, you see talk radio epitomizes the First Amendment.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. — US Const., amend. I
Talk radio is speech, the press, assembly, and petition of the government. Also, many stations are religious; therefore the free exercise of religion. If you think about it, many peacefully assemble around their radios to listen and call these shows. They speak their opinions on the shows. The radio hosts are the press. Finally, they petition the government about their grievances. We complain! The Founders would be so proud.
See…the Liberals have plans for this nation. It can be seen in the “Spendulous” Bill they just passed. They cannot continue their march toward Socialism and tyranny while the people have the freedom to express themselves so openly and obstruct them. By shutting these shows down, they eliminate their biggest obstacle to completely controlling the public discourse in this country. If you control the discourse, you can control the People. Look and Nazi Germany, U.S.S.R., or China. If they can do this to radio, nothing stops them from contolling the freedom of speech on TV (Fox News) and the Internet (Drudge Report, NewsMax, CNSNews, any blogs, etc.)
If our speech is not safe, then why not our religion, firearms, privacy in our homes, or right to vote. If the government can infringe on one right, they can take them all. This doctrine must be stopped or the government will just keep taking until we will have nothing left. We would be like Nazi Germany, U.S.S.R., Mussolini’s Italy, Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea, or China. They have already started and we are just watching.
This is the road we heading down unless we stand up and tell them to stop. We have been here before. This is no different than the Sedition Act of 1918. The progressive President Woodrow Wilson passed laws to suppress speech and control Americans during and after WWII. He wanted to control us and did until many his policies were reversed. FDR tried to take control of the people in the 1930s. He had laws controlling the People. He was so feared that after he died the Democratic Congress passed the 20th Amendment, so no other President could amass that much power again.
Today IS different than Wilson or FDR’s time. We have the Internet and talk radio. We can communicate like no other time in human history. We have endless access to information to educate ourselves. We must communicate and spread the word of what the government is attempting to do—how it is trying to amass power over its people. We must stop them before we no longer can.
Remember what Pastor Martin Niemoeller (1892–1984) wrote:
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I was not a Jew.
When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out.
Well…they are starting to come for us. Are you going to speak out before you cannot?
While Congress is about to pass the largest governmental spending bill in world history and Obama tours America talking down the economy, Liberals are moving onto to their next assault on our Liberty—talk radio and an attack on the First Amendment.
The only place Conservatives have had any success in media is in radio. Other than the Internet and Fox News, Liberals dominate all the other forms of mass media. Just so we are clear, mass media is TV, newspapers, magazines, Internet, movies, books, and radio. There is not one regulation or law that created their monopoly. It just is. The liberal media bias has been well documented and the prevalence of liberal values in movies and TV is quite obvious.
Just as there are not any laws creating this Liberal dominance, there are not one conspiracy or injustice that created the Conservative dominance in radio. Actually, Liberals have the same opportunities on radio that any other demographic has. They have had numerous chances to have a spot on the radio dial. The fact is that Liberals could have a place on the radio if they produced a product that made any money. They just haven’t. That is not a conspiracy. That is Capitalism and Liberals hate Capitalism. The Liberals were neither entertaining nor effective. They were cancelled, just like a bad TV show in markets all over the country.
Now, keep in mind, there are quite a few successful Liberal hosts in markets that would support them. One of the syndicated Liberal radio networks that exists throughout America is the government-subsidized National Public Radio. Clear Channel tried to support and promote Air America, the only other private liberal network. But, it failed. Democrats and other liberal philanthropists heavily subsidized Air America. Please note not the marketplace, such as advertising dollars. Advertisers would not fund them, because no one wanted to, since they did not have the ratings.
Liberals have the freedom to have a radio show as much as you or I. There is absolutely nothing stopping them, expect for themselves. Oh…and there regressive, depressing ideas. The fact is no one, not even Liberals, want to hear the Liberal agenda all day.
So, to remedy this disparity, Liberals want to pass laws and regulations, the "Fairness Doctrine" to force their spot on the dial. They do not want to allow the free market to determine what radio stations broadcast. They don’t want YOU to decide. THEY want to decide for you.
The “Fairness Doctrine” would force radio stations to present controversial issues of public importance in a manner that would be politically balanced as judged by a government censor. This would regualte the speech on the radio. The regulation forces stations to find an alternvative points of view on ANY issue when challenged. When the reguatlion was in place before from 1949 to 1985, some simply avoided any coverage of some controversial issues to avoid the requirement to find alternative viewpoints on every issue raised. This “chilling effect” was just the opposite of what was intended by the regualtion. This governmental policy would force countless radio stations to change their formats to meet the “Fairness Doctrine.” This would force changes to conseverative radio shows, such Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, and coutlness others, all over the nation. Some may even be forced off the air.
Now, when asked them directly, ALL Democrats are taking the same position Obama does. All of them say they do NOT want to reinstate the “Fairness Doctrine.” But, to the contrary, since getting the majority in both Houses, Democrats HAVE been saying they want to reinstate the “Fairness Doctrine.” In June 2007, Senator Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) said, "It’s time to reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) was asked by John Gizzi of “Human Events”, “Do you personally support revival of the ‘Fairness Doctrine?’”, Pelosi said "Yes." On October 22, 2008, Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico) said on a radio show, "I would want this station and all stations to have to present a balanced perspective and different points of view," and "All I’m saying is that for many, many years we operated under a Fairness Doctrine in this country, and I think the country was well-served. I think the public discussion was at a higher level and more intelligent in those days than it has become since." On February 4, 2009, when asked about the “Fairness Doctrine,” Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) said to radio host and WND columnist Bill Press, “I think it's absolutely time to pass a standard. Now, whether it's called the Fairness Standard, whether it's called something else – I absolutely think it's time to be bringing accountability to the airwaves." On February 11th, 2009, Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) told radio host Bill Press, "..we gotta get the Fairness Doctrine back in law again." He continued, "...they are just shutting down progressive talk from one city after another," He, also, said, "Exactly, and that's why we need the fair -- that's why we need the Fairness Doctrine back." Finally, on February 12, 2009, Bill Clinton said, "Well, you either ought to have the Fairness Doctrine or we ought to have more balance on the other side," Clinton said, "because essentially there's always been a lot of big money to support the right wing talk shows and let face it, you know, Rush Limbaugh is fairly entertaining even when he is saying things that I think are ridiculous...."
According to Liberals, there isn’t any fairness and balance on the airwaves now and they cannot get their point view expressed. Now, they can have a radio show if they want. There is nothing stopping them from creating thier own balance on the radio. Also, they have NPR and Air America.
As a side note, keep in mind, Conservative Talk uses the Liberal point of view as the material of their shows. It is the foundation of their success! They read news stories from Liberal newspapers and comment on them. They play Liberal politician's sound bites and comments on them. The Liberal point of view is their show. Then, the host debates with callers who disagree with them first before people who agree with them. Why? It is entertaining! Talk is about entertainment.
Also, Liberals ignore the fact that they dominate the TV news with ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, and others. They ignore the fact they dominate maginizes like Time, U.S. News, NewsWeek, and others. They dominate the newspaper industry with the New York Times, Associated Press, Rueters, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and countless others.
Huh...? Where is the fairness and expression of the conservative point of view there. I have not mentioned book publishers, Internet sites, cable networks, and movie producers who all are dominated by Liberals.
Am I complaining? Absolutely not. This is what the market place has produced. If conseveratives want, they can make their own TV shows, newspapers, movies, Internet sites, and so on, and they have.
By the way, please note that newspapers are lossing subscribers in droves. Also, TV ratings are plumeting. Oh… people are not going to the movies that much anymore. That is strange. Many of the industries dominated by Liberals are losing an auidence.
What about Conservative radio and Fox News, you ask? Thier ratings are skyrocketing along with their advertising rates and revenues. Why? They are producing a product people want. TV, movies, and newspapers aren’t. Again, who wants to read or watch the Liberal agenda all time. No one, not even Liberals.
Now, if the “Fairness Doctrine” were reinstated, it would destroy radio stations all over the country. The AM band would lose its main revenue. Talk shows would be forced to cable, the Internet, or satellite. Terrestrial radio could be extinct in the next few years. The shows would not go away. The mode of dissemination would. It would cost jobs and a huge loss of capital. This would be a true injustice to an industry that has supported some many for so long. It would be harder for people to listen to conservative talk, if at all. Remember not everyone has the Internet, cable, or satellite.
So, the question is why are the Liberals pushing for the “Fairness Doctrine?”
Simple. They want to limit the speech, the First Amendment right, of conservatives. Limbaugh, Hannity, and Beck are a thorn in the Democrats political sides. They expose the truth on countless issues. They present a format where people can voice their opinions—Liberal, Conservative, or whatever (balance and fair.) When any hot issue has arisen, illegal immigration, the Stimulus Bill, the Dubai Ports deal, Harriet Meyers, Bill Ayers, Rev. Wright, Joe the Plumber, Monica Lewinski, Obama’s bitter clinger comment, Murtha’s racists statements, Byrd’s past associations with the KKK, Dodd’s specials loans, Rangel’s tax issues, Frank’s special loans, etc. (the list is endless) Talk radio was there fueling it. Exposing the TRUTH.
It is one of last true bastions of the First Amendment left in America. Only on radio can one express their opinion so freely. The First Amendment was devised by the Framer as the first line of defense for the People against the tyranny of the government. The First Amendment allows the People to express their opinions freely about greivances it has about the State. It allows us to publicly discuss any issue with anyone responsibly and expose the truth. Without it, the government could do whatever it wanted without the People exposing it or fighting it. We would not know what the State would be doing. From the following example, you see talk radio epitomizes the First Amendment.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. — US Const., amend. I
Talk radio is speech, the press, assembly, and petition of the government. Also, many stations are religious; therefore the free exercise of religion. If you think about it, many peacefully assemble around their radios to listen and call these shows. They speak their opinions on the shows. The radio hosts are the press. Finally, they petition the government about their grievances. We complain! The Founders would be so proud.
See…the Liberals have plans for this nation. It can be seen in the “Spendulous” Bill they just passed. They cannot continue their march toward Socialism and tyranny while the people have the freedom to express themselves so openly and obstruct them. By shutting these shows down, they eliminate their biggest obstacle to completely controlling the public discourse in this country. If you control the discourse, you can control the People. Look and Nazi Germany, U.S.S.R., or China. If they can do this to radio, nothing stops them from contolling the freedom of speech on TV (Fox News) and the Internet (Drudge Report, NewsMax, CNSNews, any blogs, etc.)
If our speech is not safe, then why not our religion, firearms, privacy in our homes, or right to vote. If the government can infringe on one right, they can take them all. This doctrine must be stopped or the government will just keep taking until we will have nothing left. We would be like Nazi Germany, U.S.S.R., Mussolini’s Italy, Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea, or China. They have already started and we are just watching.
This is the road we heading down unless we stand up and tell them to stop. We have been here before. This is no different than the Sedition Act of 1918. The progressive President Woodrow Wilson passed laws to suppress speech and control Americans during and after WWII. He wanted to control us and did until many his policies were reversed. FDR tried to take control of the people in the 1930s. He had laws controlling the People. He was so feared that after he died the Democratic Congress passed the 20th Amendment, so no other President could amass that much power again.
Today IS different than Wilson or FDR’s time. We have the Internet and talk radio. We can communicate like no other time in human history. We have endless access to information to educate ourselves. We must communicate and spread the word of what the government is attempting to do—how it is trying to amass power over its people. We must stop them before we no longer can.
Remember what Pastor Martin Niemoeller (1892–1984) wrote:
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I was not a Jew.
When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out.
Well…they are starting to come for us. Are you going to speak out before you cannot?
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