Harry Reid: the Spiro Agnew of the 21st Century
I am sure that I will be accused of merely being a conservative defending conservative people or causes, but, really, does one have to be a fan of Rush Limbaugh to be concerned about the frequency with which Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid brandishes the power of his office in an effort to squelch media that he doesn't like? Is this really the role of the majority leader of the United States Senate?
This year, Mr. Reid is writing demand letters to the employer of a radio talk show host. Last year, he wrote a threatening letter (referencing their being a "beneficiary of the free use of public airwaves") to ABC over plans to air a miniseries. And, don't forget the whole notion of reviving the so-called "fairness doctrine" as a means of potentially silencing voices with whom Mr. Reid disagrees.
In the current political climate, I suppose everything gets seen through partisan eyes, but this should not be a conservative or liberal issue. Mr. Reid is using the considerable power of his office to go after media he does not like. For that, he deserves bipartisan disapproval.
This year, Mr. Reid is writing demand letters to the employer of a radio talk show host. Last year, he wrote a threatening letter (referencing their being a "beneficiary of the free use of public airwaves") to ABC over plans to air a miniseries. And, don't forget the whole notion of reviving the so-called "fairness doctrine" as a means of potentially silencing voices with whom Mr. Reid disagrees.
In the current political climate, I suppose everything gets seen through partisan eyes, but this should not be a conservative or liberal issue. Mr. Reid is using the considerable power of his office to go after media he does not like. For that, he deserves bipartisan disapproval.
posted by MCO at 12:24 PM
1 Comments:
MCO, we need to make certain that the Fairness Doctrine never sees the light of day. I do some work with the NAB, and I can attest to the fact that the Doctrine did nothing more than muzzle debate. If a local radio or TV station couldn't find proponents of both sides of the issue, they simply wouldn't air the issue.
The notion that the Doctrine is "fair" is ludicrous spin cooked up in Washington. In reality, it puts strict stipulations on our very clear right to free speech.
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