[LincolnLover]

First, apologies if this is a repost (have no idea what the "Solon" refers to in the title).

I say we convene a Congressional hearing after the election...to put our collective foot up Joe Barton's backside for this idiotic idea.

The nanosecond this goes from concept to reality, Republicans will be slammed for conducting a partisan witch hunt against the free press in this country, and the central issue (media bias) will be drowned out.

"Legislation" to impose "safeguards"? Hey, Joe, you're a Republican. That's supposed to mean you're against, among other things, censorship, activist governance/unnecessary government intervention into and regulation of private enterprise.

What a stupid, idiotic, heavy handed, over the top "solution" to this problem.

(PS-Why'd you "back off" when pressed for details, Joe? Did you lob these comments into your speech soley for symbolic reasons, or did you, after the fact, realize what an idiot you were for saying such things in the first place?)

[Jokelahoma]

Couldn't agree with you more. No matter how biased the press is, no matter how much MORE biased they become in the future, it has to be the people who correct it, not the government. The MSM are free to make total, partisan asses out of themselves, and we the people are free to call them to task for it, but the government cannot get involved in press issues. There's this little document we have which sort of mentions something like that, I believe...

[bayourod]

Joe Barton originally scoffed at the idea of a Congressional investigation, saying it was a matter for viewers to decide what to watch.

Barton is an idiot who has to be carefully watched by the leadership.

[Samizdat]

I disagree. If they want to use public airwaves, then they need to be accountable. If not, then do whatever they want. Go cable. Whatever. But not on airwaves owned by the public.

[LincolnLover]

Nice to see the Wall Street Journal Editorial board picked up on this one.