Kuhner: Liberal totalitarianism

insight magazine ^ | 5/1/2007 | Commentary by Jeffrey T. Kuhner

[xcamel]

Liberal Democrats are attempting to muzzle conservative talk radio: they are assaulting free speech. Like the communists in the former Soviet Union, America’s liberals seek to crush dissent by consolidating control over the media—especially talk radio, which has emerged as the dominant medium for conservative opinion.

Allies close to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are promoting legislation, which if passed, will take off the air prominent conservative radio hosts such as Michael Savage, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly—along with thousands of smaller conservative broadcasters. The bill, entitled the "Media Ownership Reform Act," is sponsored by Rep. Maurice Hinchey, a leftist Democrat from New York. The legislation aims to revive the so-called “Fairness Doctrine” of the 1940’s: “all views” are to be given equal time on radio. In particular, the Federal Communications Commission would have the power to oversee and change radio and television content. The goal is to tilt the ideological balance of power away from the right on the nation’s air waves.

[xcamel]

This is bad. Here are the rats: http://www.homestead.com/prosites-prs/From_Congressman_Maurice_Hinchey.pdf (page 2)

[Dilbert San Diego]

Yep, they want to silence talk radio.

They can’t debate Rush or Hannity or the others on the issues, and can’t persuade listeners to their points of view. So their solution is to silence talk radio. Rather than winning in the court of public opinion and trying to win the battles of ideas that occur in the culture and in politics, they would rather not have any debates on the issues. Hmmmm.................

[darkangel82]

Let’s call them what they are: Stalinists.

[omnivore]

This is about proposed legislation that was introduced in 2005 and apparently went nowhere that year. We have a new Congress after the 2006 election. Has this bill been re-introduced?

This is of course alarming, but it's "news" about something that happened in July of 2005 and has been a dead letter since, so far at least. Seems like a filler story for a slow news day.

[xcamel]

I wish it were so.. but they are reloading for a presumed win in ‘08 - NA-ZI’s, Leninist, Stalinist never ever give up - except maybe at the end of a hangman's knot.

[happygrl]

Pirate radio or internet streaming.

Of course, at that point we will be in Civil War II.

[KarlInOhio]

The Joseph Goebbels quote Rush used today is very appropriate for the Democrats push for the "Fairness Doctrine":

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

The Dems know they can't win an argument over ideas, so they will make speech regulations so onerous that every station will switch from political talk to music, sports, cooking or anything else in the Bread and Circuses category.

[omnivore]

I get that the threat is there, the desire on the part of Hinchey et al. They’ve wanted to shut down talk radio for years. But what is the HR bill number of the legislation introduced in this Congress, this year? I’m looking for facts, not stories about the Democrat monsters under my bed. If there is no bill yet introduced in this Congress, I don’t understand what the “news” angle is.

[Dilbert San Diego]

This is definitely worth fighting to keep the so-called Fairness Doctrine out of broadcasting.

If Rush, Sean, and all of them are so : simplistic, mean-spirited, pandering to uneducated people, blindly loyal to ideology (take your pick and add others ), if these were so true, then.........Randi Rhodes and Al Franken would be happy to debate the issues and discuss the pro and con arguments and be able to do so without breaking a sweat.

Instead, the Al Frankens and Randi Rhodes and Rosie O’Donnells of the world don’t want that debate. They just want the chance to run their mouths. Which they have ample opportunity to do. Which begs the question of why a “fairness doctrine” is even needed.

[drpix]

[Reagan Man]

This is a rotten attempt to undermine our first amendment freedom of speech. In 1987 Pres Reagan vetoed the original Fairness Doctrine from being extended. I doubt passage by Congress could withstand a Bush veto. If somehow it did, there are five SCOTUS votes waiting to overturn such law as unconstitutional.

[bfree]

that is the definition of political correctness.

[Dilbert San Diego]

And this just point up to how important the 2008 election could be. A Democrat president would sign this legislation if sent to him/her by a Democratic congress. Dems. have high hopes to add to their numbers in Congress in ‘08, and adding a Dem. president to the mix will enable them to do this. I would hate to depend on the Supreme Court to come in after the fact and strike down the law.

[Reagan Man]

The SCOTUS would knock it down. Scalia, Thomas, Kennedy, Roberts and Alito are gonna be together for awhile.

Assuring the Democrats don't take the WH in 2008 is my goal. I don't want to see any liberal in the WH. That includes the liberal, Rudy Giuliani.

[IrishCatholic]

bookmark for later.

[Checkers]

“...conservative radio hosts such as Michael Savage, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly...”

~If the author is listing Michael “Savage” as a conservative, the whole article is suspect. “Savage” supports Democrats. Period.

~Nothing against Bill O’Reilly, but who considers him a conservative?

[Zack Nguyen]

It is hard to believe that this would be seriously considered. As much as the Democrats would like to pass such a bill, the consequences would be the total unification of the Republican coalition, and electorally they cannot afford that.

[Zack Nguyen]

You might read my post #17. I’m not too worried about this yet.

[Checkers]

If Michael Savage is the Face of Opposition to the Media Ownership Reform Act, the Act Will have Support from Many Normal People Repulsed By His Schtick

It's Long Past Time For Sane Conservatives to Distance Themselves From Michael Alan Weiner, Who Goes By The Stagename "Michael Savage"

Facts and Undeniable Truths About Mr. Weiner

• On April 18, 2007, at approximately 25 minutes into the second hour of his show, Weiner stated: "WE NEED TO STOP FUNDING THE WAR IN IRAQ AND START FUNDING THE WAR ON OUR STREETS". That's an exact quote. Weiner was apparently referring to homeless "scum" (his term).
• On April 17, 2007, at approximately 45 minutes into the 1st hour of his show, Weiner said the shooting (at Virginia Tech) indicates our Gun laws are too lax.
• Like Rachel Maddox on Air America, Weiner used the Virginia Tech shooting to attack President Bush throughout the 1st hour of his show on April 17th, 2007
• On April 17, 2007, at approximately 20 minutes into the 3rd hour of his show, Weiner admitted he did not recognize the name Ken Blackwell.
• On April 17, 2007, at approximately 28 minutes into the 3rd hour of his show, Weiner attacked President Bush for not mentioning Jesus Christ when he spoke at Virginia Tech Convocation.
• Throughout his April 16 show (the day of the Virginia Tech shooting), Weiner used the massacre to repeatedly attack President Bush and Homeland Secretary Chertoff for their lack of leadership. Weiner never explained what he expected the President or the Secretary to do in the wake of the school shooting.
• During the first 30 minutes of his April 16, 2007 show, Weiner called Prime Minister Blair "Tony the Coward".
• Also during the first 30 minutes of his April 16, 2007 show, Weiner called the Republicans running for President in 2008 "empty-suits". Weiner singled out Mayor Rudolph Giuliani by name.
• On April 16, 2007, at approximately 50 minutes into the 3rd hour of his show, Weiner claimed that Rudolph Giuliani "wants to make America like New York". Weiner offered no proof or evidence for this assertion.
• Calls for the impeachment of G.W. Bush
• Weiner actually did support his Congresswoman, Madame Pelosi, when she met with the Murderer Assad before he was against her meeting with Assad.
• Weiner hates President Bush, except when he likes President Bush.
• In the middle of his April 4, 2007 show, Weiner threw a fit and suddenly was off the air even though he had ninety minutes left.
• On his Nov 20, 2006 show, Weiner hosted a love-in with Charlie Rangel.
• On his Nov 17, 2006 show, Weiner played a clip from some Israeli pot smokers and then extrapolated from this clip that all of Israel have become drug addicts.
• On his Nov 17, 2006 show, Weiner said that drug addicts should be executed.
• Weiner advocates cutting and running in Iraq.
• Weiner claims he hates San Francisco; yet, he continues to live there. (What's that about?)
• Provides money to a moonbat AG candidate in a border state
• Twice hosted Chuck Schumer in a blatant attempt to damage the GOP Senate Campaign during an election year.
• Routinely calls our fellow Americans morons and idiots
• Like his brethern on Air America, Weiner thinks multinational corporations conspire with each other
• Like his brethern on Air America, Weiner thinks the oil companies conspire with each other
• Supports the minimum wage
• Like his brethern on Air America, Weiner h ates Conservative icons like Rush Limbaugh
• Attacks other Conservatives more than Liberals
• Spews hatred and vile towards our Commander in Chief during a time of war
• Claims to be a sort of "Patton" on the War on Terror, but when the Israelis started bombing Lebanon, he turned into Cindy Sheehan
• Routinely asks callers a question, then ignores their answer and continues on maniacal rant.
• Called Cheney a liar, and said he didn't believe a word he says, ever.
• Called Bush a liar.
• Said the war in Iraq is purely for profit, get this, so that Haliburton can make money.
• Said there's no difference between the GOP and Dems.
• Called Rick Santorum "Sanitarium", and an idiot.
• Said he deserves most of the credit for the ports deal not going through, and since the GOP didn't give him credit, he won't support them in any way.
• Said it won't be so bad if Dems take over, outside of some minor social changes, nothing else will really change.
• Called this a broken nation with corrupt leadership, making fun of Bush, and his rationale for the war on terror, and war in Iraq.
• Called the GOP "the corrupt, war-mongering GOP"...
• He had a caller who said he was livid with the GOP, but since the Dems are much worse, he pleaded with Savage's listeners to get out and vote... With each sentence, Savage shouted him down.
• Fired by MSNBC for telling a caller to go get AIDS and die.
• He believes that the Clintons and Bush family have developed some sort of consortium and political syndicate together. For the next several years, they will stiff-arm the rest of the political world and alternate family members to the Presidency. Hillary is next, then followed by Jeb.
• In February 2007, Creative Artists Agency (a major talent and literary agency in Los Angeles) signed Michael Savage to represent him in all media. Within days however, it was reported that CAA had dropped Savage in response to anti-homosexual remarks he made regarding fellow CAA client.

Articles on Weiner

• Michael Savage: Left Winger
• Savaged: National Review
• Weiner gives money to Moonbat
• Weiner's Brown Donation
• Michael Savage: The Enemy Within (One of The Biggest Threats to Conservatives)

Video of Weiner

• Weiner's Outburst on MSNBC

[tophat9000]

~If the author is listing Michael “Savage” as a conservative, the whole article is suspect. “Savage” supports Democrats. Period. ~Nothing against Bill O’Reilly, but who considers him a conservative?

But that the whole point a government bureaucrat and courts would decide whats "fair"... they would give you Savage, or Bill OReilly as the "conservative" view, screw what you or the market wants to support