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DeMint, Thune, Pence & Walden Introduce Bill to Stop Fairness Doctrine
Broadcaster Freedom Act would keep radio airwaves free from government censorship and suppressio
In an effort to prevent Democrats from suppressing the right to free speech for talk radio and other broadcasters, today Congressman Mike Pence (R-Indiana), chairman of the House Republican Conference, Congressman Greg Walden (R-Oregon), Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), chairman of the Senate Steering Committee, and Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, introduced the Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2009 (S. 34 in the Senate, bill number pending in the House). The bill would prevent the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from reinstating the Fairness Doctrine, which would suppress free speech by requiring the government to monitor political views and decide what constitutes fair political discourse.
“The time has come to do away with the Fairness Doctrine once and for all,” said Congressman Pence. “Over the past few months, some of the most powerful Democrats in Congress have made their intentions to restore this Depression-era regulation clear. However, bringing back the Fairness Doctrine would amount to government control over political views expressed on the public airwaves. It is dangerous to suggest that the government should be in the business of rationing free speech.
“During my years in radio and television, I developed a great respect for a free and independent press. Since being in Congress, I have been the recipient of praise and criticism from broadcast media, but it has not changed my fundamental belief that a free and independent press must be vigorously defended by those who love liberty. I urge this Congress to send the Fairness Doctrine to the ash heap of broadcast history where it belongs,” said Congressman Pence.
Senator DeMint added, “Since the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine, talk radio has grown rapidly due to the power of the free market. We should not allow our government to suppress free speech by reversing this decision and regulating the marketplace of ideas.
“Democrats want to impose an unfair doctrine that destroys talk radio and silences the voices of millions of Americans who disagree with their vision for America. But the First Amendment of our Constitution guarantees the right of free speech, regardless of political affiliation, and this legislation will protect this sacred right,” said Senator DeMint.
Senator Thune said, “One of America’s greatest pillars of democracy and freedom is our Constitutional guarantee to exercise free speech. For over 200 years, the First Amendment has allowed Americans to voice opinions, thoughts and questions of their choosing without the fear of Government reprisal. This guarantee is now threatened by some liberal ideologues who are frustrated with the free flow of ideas on talk radio. The bill we have introduced will stop them in their tracks and help protect the vibrant marketplace of ideas we have today in our media. I advise every American to be hesitant when government officials offer to regulate the media in the name of ‘fairness.’ Our support for freedom of conscience and freedom of speech means that we must support the rights granted to even those with whom we disagree. Simply put, giving power to a few to impose ‘fairness’ in the media is a recipe for an Orwellian disaster.”
Congressman Walden, who owned and operated radio stations for more than 21 years and is part of a small town broadcast family that dates back to the 1930s, stated, “The founders would spin in their graves at the thought of the government censoring speech on many of today’s radio and television stations. Yet that’s just what some Democratic leaders seem to be after. Whether as a throwback to the old Fairness Doctrine or under a less controversial guise, any effort to exert government control over speech on the airwaves is an insult to the principles behind the First Amendment.”
The Fairness Doctrine was implemented by the FCC in 1949 in an attempt to ensure balanced and fair coverage of controversial subject matter by broadcasters. In 1985, the FCC determined that the Fairness Doctrine was no longer necessary due to the emergence of a “multiplicity of voices in the marketplace.” The FCC was also of the view that the Fairness Doctrine may have violated the First Amendment. In a 1987 case, the courts declared that the doctrine was not mandated by Congress and the FCC did not have to continue to enforce it. Twice, Congress has passed legislation restoring the Fairness Doctrine, but Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush vetoed the bills.
The DeMint-Thune Senate bill, S. 34, has 24 cosponsors including Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Christopher Bond (R-Missouri), Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia), Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) John Ensign (R-Nevada), Michael Enzi (R-Wyoming), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia), Jon Kyl (R-Arizona), Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), Mel Martinez (R-Florida), Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), Pat Roberts (R-Kansas), Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), David Vitter (R-Louisiana), George Voinovich (R-Ohio), and Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi).
The Pence-Walden bill in the House already has over 100 cosponsors including Representatives John Boehner (R-Ohio), Eric Cantor (R-Virginia), John Carter (R-Texas), David Dreier (R-California), Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), Kevin McCarthy (R-California), Thaddeus McCotter (R-Michigan), Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-Washington), Tom Price (R-Georgia), Adam Putnam (R-Florida), Pete Sessions (R-Texas), and Fred Upton (R-Michigan).
With the financial crisis affecting everyone, it is reassuring to know that Eric Cantor is continuing to fight each day to protect taxpayers. We need a few Eric Cantor like Congressman in Oklahoma !
In 1862, when some of Abraham Lincoln's political allies, furious over the losses at Shiloh, demanded the removal of Ulysses S. Grant from the leadership of the Army of the Tennessee, the first Republican President responded with unequivocal fervor.
"I can't spare this man," Lincoln said. "He fights."
What John McCain requires in a Vice Presidential choice today is an individual who exhibits the best qualities of an intelligent political fighter. He needs a hard worker – a loyal, principled leader – an individual whose reputation is above reproach. And we are convinced that in this case, the right choice is clear.
Pitted in a deadlocked campaign against an eloquent yet inexperienced young evangelist of Hope and Change, McCain requires an individual who with every argument will prove that the Obama-Biden ticket is uninterested in real change or reform. He or she must be equipped to make the case that the ideas they espouse today are the same tried and failed liberal solutions that Biden has supported in his 36 year Senate career – the vestiges of the Great Society made shiny and new for a generation of voters who has no memory of their destructive effects on the nation. He or she must possess a bright policy mind and a telegenic demeanor for explaining these policies in the course of the ongoing debate. And in an election this divisive, McCain's choice must be prepared to fight for new areas of the voting populace, expanding the center-right footprint while simultaneously inspiring the portion of the grassroots base still unenthused with the top of the ticket, and not threaten to break the delicate coalition of the willing who have swallowed their pride to support a former political foe.
One of these tasks alone would not be easy – together, they seem nigh impossible. Yet it is our great fortune today to be blessed with an individual who has all of these qualities and abilities. He is a hard worker, bright, capable and principled. He is a family man, strong in his values, his faith, and his character. And he is truly a man of the right.
He is the Congressman from Virginia, Eric Cantor.
While a young man, Cantor has served in federal office twice as long as Barack Obama - and was a member of leadership when Obama was still in Springfield. In that short time, he has established himself as a dedicated and intelligent member of the House. As the Chief Deputy Whip, he has proved to be an organizer, an innovator, and a natural leader. His knowledge of foreign affairs is above what one would expect from a member of the House, and as a devout Jew, he is one of Israel's greatest allies in Washington and has a wide range of evangelical supporters. He is pro-life without reservation, a strong supporter of gun rights, a fiscal conservative and a loyal advocate for the war on terror. And beyond being a member from a state McCain must carry to win in November, Cantor has proven himself as one of the best fundraisers in the House, with a massive base of support in New York, Florida, Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
Above all, though, Cantor is a good man – ethical, motivated and hard working. He is the kind of choice who best represents the face of the conservative movement in the decades to come. We would relish the opportunity to seem him in a debate with Joe Biden, and we have no doubt that he would win.
Cantor's selection would be welcomed by conservatives, applauded by most moderates, and inspire confusion and revealingly insulting attacks from the left.
It would elevate a strong young voice for principled conservative reform to the national stage, not merely for political gain, but because he deserves the platform. And it would cement McCain's election as something that is not just a block against four years of Obama-Biden, but a positive good for the center-right coalition for the future.
John McCain's story is one of determined heroism in the face of torture and fear. It is a story that is profoundly moving. Though few of us at Redstate supported McCain in the primary, all of us view him as a patriot.
John McCain makes people of all political stripes proud to be American. Eric Cantor will make you proud to be a Republican.
Hat Tip to my buddy 'Lizzy'@ Media Lizzy On July 22, 2008 - Media Lizzy correctly identified Eric Cantor as a name on John McCain's short list for Vice President. Audio from Media Lizzy's interview with Rep. Eric Cantor, (R-VA), an 01 August 2008 on BlogTalkRadio, as the House GOP uprising began. Rep. Cantor calls for an up or down vote on the American Energy Act, and discusses Speaker Pelosi's shut down.
As if the spring hasn't been tough enough on House Republicans, there is also the issue of bills piling up from the investigations into the alleged embezzlement scheme at the National Republican Congressional Committee.
New reports filed with the Federal Election Commission show that the NRCC spent more than $210,000 on legal and accounting bills in April. Those payouts, to the law firm Covington & Burling and the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, bring the total amount spent by the committee to $355,000 since party officials in January accused their former treasurer of cooking the NRCC's books for several years.
The cash-strapped NRCC is paying the legal-and-accounting team to scour a decade of financial records to determine how much money was allegedly diverted by Christopher J. Ward, the NRCC's former treasurer. He is under FBI investigation for possible embezzlement and bank fraud.
The $355,000 in legal and accounting fees is almost as much as the NRCC spent earlier this month in a Louisiana special election, where $436,000 went toward campaign ads in attacking Don Cazayoux (D-La.), who won anyway.
There's no telling what the final tab will be. In mid-March, when NRCC officials revealed that several hundred thousand dollars to $1 million was missing, Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) told reporters that the internal audit already had cost about $370,000. The NRCC could be on its way to paying as much to its lawyers and accountants as was taken from the committee.
Karen Hanretty, NRCC spokeswoman, said the final audit is "near completion" but has been delayed by difficulties obtaining some old financial records.
The Vito-Dollars
Now that scandal-plagued Rep. Vito Fossella (R-N.Y.) has decided to retire, we wonder what he'll do with all the money sitting in his campaign coffers. His Republicans colleagues wonder, too.
He has several options, including donating it to his struggling GOP brethren, who are buckled in for what promises to be a very rough ride in this November's congressional elections. Of course, he also could keep the money to pay legal expenses, if the House ethics committee approves it.
As of March 31, Fossella's campaign had $248,496 in cash on hand, thanks to the generosity of several GOP members who had donated money to Fossella's reelection effort before his May 1 arrest on drunken-driving charges. That quickly ballooned into an infidelity scandal and questions of whether he romanced his previously secret mistress (and mother of his previously secret child) on the taxpayers' dime.
Fossella was considered vulnerable even before the scandal. He was placed on the House Republicans' Regain Our Majority Program (ROMP) list. And lots of prominent Republicans helped Fossella, including House GOP Chief Deputy Whip Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), whose leadership PAC gave $5,000 to Fossella's campaign, and Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.), whose leadership PAC gave $1,000.
But now, with GOP money problems and the looming threat of a Democratic tidal wave, the NRCC would love Fossella to show a little reciprocity in the goodwill department. They'd like Fossella's campaign money, or at least a good chunk of it, to help their candidates.
"Considering that Vito Fossella has helped this committee's efforts in past election cycles, and given that New York's 13th District will now be an open seat, we hope he will aid efforts to keep this seat in the red column," said NRCC spokeswoman Julie Shutley.
Fossella is giving no hints about what he'll do with the money. "No decisions have been made," says Susan Del Percio, Fossella's crisis communications consultant.
Ears and Earmarks
It's a good thing Sen. Tom Coburn's staunch opposition to federal funding for the arts hasn't meant the death knell for the Kennedy Center, or the Oklahoma Republican might not have had the pleasure of seeing his daughter, Sarah Coburn, star opposite Placido Domingo this month.
Coburn, the Senate's most famous crusader against funding for home-state projects known as "earmarks," has watched two of his daughter's performances in "Tamerlano" at the Washington National Opera house. Performances end tonight.
The 30-year-old diva has quickly risen to national prominence. Peter Gelb, the general manager of the New York Metropolitan Opera, made a special trip to Washington to see her perform May 4. He sat with Domingo's wife, Marta, next to the president's box.
The Financial Times described Sarah Coburn as a "luminous soprano" who is "superbly expressive," and Opera News called her "blissfully sublime."
Though father Tom has certainly been described as expressive, he concedes that Sarah's talent and looks come from her mother, a former Miss Oklahoma.
Coburn supports elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts but said he contributes a "great deal privately." His daughter makes him CDs of operas, which Coburn says he listens to in the mornings "when nobody's around."
"I've fallen in love with opera," he said. Does he cry at the opera? "I have before," he admitted. "I also laugh a lot -- all the plots are the same: Either it's a jealous husband or an upset father."
Coburn is not playing the role of upset father in his daughter's love story. She met a nice Northern guy online and is set to marry him in New York on Sept. 1. "We're gonna have the first Yankee in our family," Coburn said.
Today's "Waxman of the Week," which honors the zealous pursuit of congressional oversight, goes to the award's namesake, House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.).
Waxman showed this week that it's not just how many subpoenas you issue or how toughly you word letters to administration figures. Sometimes, it's all about how you wield the gavel.
Republicans were still steaming mad yesterday at what they called Waxman's threats to throw one of their own out of a committee hearing. The committee was questioning Stephen Johnson, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, about new smog standards.
When his time was up for questioning, Waxman kept after Johnson -- to the chagrin of Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), who demanded that Waxman stop. "On whose time does the chairman speak and ask these questions?" he asked, accusing Waxman of breaking the rules.
The diminutive Waxman banged the gavel six times in Issa's face, effectively quieting him.
"I will have you physically removed from this meeting if you don't stop," he said, before turning back to Johnson. "I want to know an answer to the question."
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) yesterday called Waxman's actions "outrageous threats and intimidation" and demanded an apology.
Waxman never got an answer from Johnson about White House involvement in EPA decisions, which Waxman considered the real issue. He laughed at Boehner's suggestion that he was a threatening force. "Just look at me," he said. "How can you not quake in my presence?"
DeMint, Thune, Pence & Walden Introduce Bill to Stop Fairness Doctrine
