Study Shows Need for 'Hush Rush' Legislation, Democrats Say

AZCONSERVATIVE ^ | 27 March 2007 | John Semmens

[John Semmens]

Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) says that a study titled “The Fox News Effect: Media Bias and Voting,” by Steano Della Vigna of the University of California at Berkeley and Ethan Kaplan, of Stockholm University, supports his contention that legislation is needed to “level the playing field of American politics.”

The study asserts that the Fox News network influenced enough voters in to the 2000 presidential race to throw the election to Bush. According to the study, the vote shift from Gore to Bush due to Fox News was 10,757 votes in Florida. This was larger than Bush’s 537 vote margin of victory.

“We cannot allow biased reporting of the news to decide the outcome of elections,” Kucinich said. “We have to restore the ‘Fairness Doctrine’ so we get balance in talk radio and at Fox News--like there is in the rest of the media.”

Representative Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) and Senator Bernie Sanders (S-Vermont) are sponsoring the “Media Ownership Reform Act” (MORA) as a vehicle for restoring the Fairness Doctrine. “Under this bill, if Rush Limbaugh shoots his mouth off, he must give equal access to our side,” Hinchey said. “The American public will begin to get both sides or all sides of an issue. That is basic – fundamental to a democracy.”

Critics have dubbed the bill the “Hush Rush Law.” But Hinchey contends his bill is even-handed. “The right-wingers over at CBS, NBC, and the rest will all be required to give access to our side,” Hinchey insisted. “Government control over what the media says is the only way we can head-off a fascist takeover of America.”

[antonia]

"“The right-wingers over at CBS, NBC, and the rest will all be required to give access to our side,” Hinchey insisted. “Government control over what the media says is the only way we can head-off a fascist takeover of America.”

Loon wail

[John Semmens]

No, they're not kidding.

They are dangerous loons.