Reason Writers Around Town

July 11, 2007

At FoxNews.com, Radley Balko looks at how politicians use their power to bully critics.

Comments

|7.11.07 @ 1:57PM|#

Once again, Balko speaks the truth.

|7.11.07 @ 2:02PM|#

Radley is correct - the public airwaves should only be used to promote a single viewpoint.

Ideally, one corporation would own the rights to all the airwaves and rid us of annoying "dissent".

|7.11.07 @ 2:04PM|#

You know, we really do need surveillance cameras installed to protect societies.

First place would be the private offices of all legislators.

The cameras could be connected to the intertubes and piped directly to youtube so that viewers at home could rate them and post comments.

|7.11.07 @ 2:08PM|#

This is all thinly-disguised posturing for what's really bothering the senators: They don't like that people are allowed to criticize them on public airwaves.

Oh, I don't know. Have you considered that they also want to sacrifice puppies to the Lord Chthulhu?

Next up, opponents of Social Security are really bothered by the fact that people who don't earn a great deal of money don't starve to death upon retirement.

|7.11.07 @ 2:14PM|#

Senator Jones: "You know, it really bothers me that there is a guy on the radio criticizing me. I didn't sign up for this when I decided to run."

Senator Smith: "I'm with you. Let's pass a law that only allows media outlets to criticize us half the time."

Senator Jones: "Great idea. Be sure to disguise your efforts, thinly."

Robert|7.11.07 @ 2:15PM|#

Red Lion probably wouldn't stand today. However, given the example of FCC's ability & will to stall against article 3 court litigation of indecency fines, it could be many years before we'd get broadcasters willing to take the risk against, and courts willing to take the case of, a reinstalled Fairness Doctrine.

|7.11.07 @ 2:19PM|#

When winter comes, the shivering Grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the Ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.

CBS, NBC and ABC show up and provide pictures of the shivering Grasshopper next to a film of the Ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.

America is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can it be that, in a country of such wealth, this poor Grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?

Nancy Pelosi makes a special guest appearance on the CBS Evening News and tell a concerned Katie Couric that they will do everything they can for the Grasshopper who has been denied the prosperity he deserves by those who benefited unfairly during the "Era of Greed." Michal Moore exclaims in an interview with Wolf Blitzer that the Ant has gotten rich off the "back of the Grasshopper," and calls for an immediate tax hike on the Ant to make him pay his "fair share."

|7.11.07 @ 2:34PM|#

OMG FAUX NEWS!

bill|7.11.07 @ 5:51PM|#

I've often tried to figure out who someone fiscally liberal, socially conservative would be. The Catholic Church?

|7.11.07 @ 5:52PM|#

joe and Dan T are all hot an bothered that G. W. Bush doesn't have the power to tell radio stations what they need to say to be "fair". They are very worried about that liberal bias in the media, a liberal bias that can only be corrected when the FCC (part of the executive branch) can tell radio and TV stations exactly what they need to do to be more "balanced"... and if they aren't "balanced" in the way that our Great Leader determines, they can be fined, lose their licence, or be thrown in jail.

Look at how fair and balanced Fox News is. Joe and Dan T., as concerned Americans, only want ALL media to be as fair and balanced and unbiased as Fox News.

|7.11.07 @ 5:57PM|#

Senator Smith: "I'm with you. Let's pass a law that only allows media outlets to criticize us half the time."

Your bias shows through even in your parody. I bet you like BOTH kinds of music too! Country and Western! And the FCC will make the media "fair" and "balanced" by requiring that BOTH sides to speak, the Democrats *AND* Republicans!!

|7.11.07 @ 6:48PM|#

bill,

Robert Byrd? The old, pro-life Dennis Kucinich?

Rex,

I haven't actually offered an opinion on the Fairness Doctrine, because I don't really have one. If you can learn the difference between criticizing an argument and making a counter-argument, you would be more fun to debate.

|7.11.07 @ 6:57PM|#

I haven't actually offered an opinion on the Fairness Doctrine, because I don't really have one. If you can learn the difference between criticizing an argument and making a counter-argument, you would be more fun to debate.

joe, when someone tried to make a point that the Fairness Doctrine is a backdoor attempt at censorship, you said this:

Oh, I don't know. Have you considered that they also want to sacrifice puppies to the Lord Chthulhu?

Either you are making fun of their skeptism about the Fairness Doctrine because you think their skeptism is unwarranted, which is a defense of the Fairness Doctrine... or you are making fun of their skeptism about the Fairness Doctrine just to be a dick. I gave you the benifit of the doubt, and assume it was the first.

My humor even had something to do with the topic at hand... unlike your Chthulhu comment.

|7.12.07 @ 3:31AM|#

Well, I guess ultimately it's no surprise that the group being treated unfairly is more interested in fairness that the group benefiting from the unfairness.

|7.12.07 @ 10:43AM|#

Rex Rhino,

I am making fun of his criticism of the fairness doctrine because that particular criticism consisted of attributing silly-assed, mustache-twirling motives to his critics.

That's a lame stunt, no matter what position you attempt to use it to further.

Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to go veil my attempt to pull the wings off butteflied. Thinly.