Fairness Doctrine: Government Mandated Conservative Thought Suppression

Lee P. Butler

WALLACE: So would you revive the fairness doctrine?

FEINSTEIN: Well, I'm looking at it, as a matter of fact, Chris, because I think there ought to be an opportunity to present the other side. And unfortunately, talk radio is overwhelmingly one way.

WALLACE: But the argument would be it's the marketplace, and if liberals want to put on their own talk radio, they can put it on. At this point, they don't seem to be able to find much of a market.

FEINSTEIN: Well, apparently, there have been problems. It is growing. But I do believe in fairness. I remember when there was a fairness doctrine, and I think there was much more serious correct reporting to people.

That was Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-California, on “Fox News Sunday With Chris Wallace” talking about the renewed Democrat interest in dusting off and bringing back government censorship legislation called the “Fairness Doctrine”.

Democrats hate talk radio because once opened up to the market for a free exchange of ideas and viewpoints, talk radio flourished with Conservative thought and commentators, while liberals were left scratching their heads in wonderment and stewing in their own anger for losing control of that medium.

One of the main bastions of liberalism is the repression and domination of rational and diverse thought. They talk regularly about the importance of diversity, but it’s not true diversity they seek.

In their world diversity only exists in a manner directed entirely by liberals. For them, the only rational thought is one steeped in liberalism and the expression of only those thoughts should be allowed to exist in their own manufactured Utopia.

That basic premise is what has stymied liberals from being successful on talk radio. Despite what Moveon.org or MediaMatters says, in the Conservative arena all points of opinion are examined and allowed to roam free.

You can agree or disagree, but at least you have the ability to express yourself and your position on the issues of the day.

Liberal talk radio and the rest of the media doesn’t work that way. If you don’t accept the most egregious conspiracy theories… such as the American government was behind 9/11... then you are relegated to the ‘you are a close-minded freak’ category.

Think about it, do you want to listen to the same people tell you every day that the American government intentionally bombed the Twin Towers, you don’t pay enough taxes, or every female should have the unfettered right at any age and anytime during the pregnancy to kill their innocent unborn baby?

Is that what Senator Feinstein means when she calls for ‘fairness’?

Here’s another question, although Chris Wallace is a good interviewer and is as fair as anyone, why didn’t he ask Sen. Feinstein about the lack of fairness that exists in the rest of the media?

Where’s the ‘fairness doctrine’ for television and print?

A recent story came to light pointing out the egregious amount of money that has been given to Democrat campaigns by people in the ‘news media’ who claim to be ‘objective’, not to mention the many polls that repeatedly show just how dominated by liberal Democrats the media is.

In the print media liberals predominate and their liberal elitist viewpoint saturates the ‘news reporting’ they provide. The same holds true for columnists and political cartoon satirists.

As for television, there is not enough time in a day to have a ‘fairness doctrine’ be in play. Where is the counter to Matt Lauer, George Stephonopolous, Katie Couric, or Oprah? What about cable news shows with Larry King, Anderson Cooper, Olbermann, Matthews, and Blitzer?

For a long time when Conservatives complained about the lack of ‘diversity’ in the news on television liberals always countered with ‘get your own’ network if you don’t like what’s offered now.

So along came Fox News. It didn’t take long before they started dominating cable news ratings and liberals became instantly outraged and began calling the network a ’shill’ for the White House and Democrat presidential hopefuls refused to have debates with them involved.

Again displaying liberals’ need to control the media and the dissemination of information thereof.

The fact is, as far as ‘fairness’ is concerned, Fox News leads the pack. They do have a show called Hannity and Colmes after all and employs Conservative and liberal alike. Which is exactly what infuriates liberals, that Conservatives ever get to express their point of view in any arena for public consumption.

To his credit, Chris Wallace did catch liberal radio Air America resurrection guru Mark Green in an apparent lie on a recent show. “This is the third time you said that we want the fairness doctrine. The report doesn't say it, nor do I,” Mr. Green repeated, then was called out by Wallace.

“Well, I don't understand. Wait a second, Mr. Green,” Wallace interrupted. “Let me ask you about that, because, first of all, I believe -- and you told our people that you did support the fairness doctrine, but if you weren't going to do the fairness doctrine, what's the point of all this?”

The point is, if liberals can’t control the debate, if liberals can’t control the dialogue, if liberals can’t control the dissemination of information to the American public then they want the government to shut it down.

There is a reason liberals love Hugo Chavez. They want the government to pay the bills. They want government to feed the masses. They want government to control healthcare. They want government to manage the media.

And they want complete control of the government. Liberalism cannot flourish in any other environment.

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Lee P Butler is the Vice Chairman of the Richmond County Republican Party where he resides with his wife and three children and has been published in several outlets including The Richmond County Daily Journal, OpinionEditorials.com, The North Carolina Conservative, The Lasting Joy, and is the owner/publisher of leepbutler.com.

lee@leepbutler.com