Dem Sen.Stabenow Proposes "Fairness Doctrine" Hearing...but?

[travelinman67]

Senator Debbie Stabenow, during an interview with liberal talk show host Bill Press suggests she's going to push for Senate hearings to establish some form of "Fairness Doctrine" legislation.

Sen. Stabenow wants hearings on radio 'accountability'; talks fairness doctrine
http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelca ... ml?showall

This morning, radio host Bill Press brought up the recent closing of liberal station Obama 1260 when speaking with Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, and talked about whether there needs to be a balance to right-wing talk on the radio dial.

BILL PRESS: Yeah, I mean, look: They have a right to say that. They’ve got a right to express that. But, they should not be the only voices heard. So, is it time to bring back the Fairness Doctrine?

SENATOR DEBBIE STABENOW (D-MI): I think it’s absolutely time to pass a standard. Now, whether it’s called the Fairness Standard, whether it’s called something else — I absolutely think it’s time to be bringing accountability to the airwaves. I mean, our new president has talked rightly about accountability and transparency. You know, that we all have to step up and be responsible. And, I think in this case, there needs to be some accountability and standards put in place.

BILL PRESS: Can we count on you to push for some hearings in the United States Senate this year, to bring these owners in and hold them accountable?

SENATOR DEBBIE STABENOW (D-MI): I have already had some discussions with colleagues and, you know, I feel like that’s gonna happen. Yep.

...then the other shoe drops...

UPDATE: A commenter points out that Stabenow is married to Tom Athans, a liberal talk radio executive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Athans

Tom Athans (born 1961) is a notable member of the Democratic Party from the state of Michigan. He is a co-founder and former CEO of the liberal-progressive Democracy Radio, an organization that produced and supported liberal talk radio shows that formerly included the Ed Schultz Show. He is now the executive Vice-President of another liberal talk radio organization Air America. Athans is married to Senator Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat of Michigan.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Democracy Radio
The company was founded in 2002 by Tom Athans and Paul Fiddick. The plan was to help develop and nurture programming and enlist radio networks and stations to air left-leaning radio hosts. At one point, Democracy Radio produced talk shows for Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller, among others. On June 8, 2005, Democracy Radio sold its stake in The Ed Schultz Show to a new company headed by veteran radio executive Randy Michaels, the former CEO of Clear Channel Radio. On November 4, 2005, Athans stepped down as CEO of Democracy Radio, ending the organization.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Air America
After stepping down from Democracy Radio, Athans became the Executive Vice-President of Air America, a much larger but similar organization. Athans is in charge of developing new programming to expand Air Americas lineup. He will also head Air America’s Washington, D.C. corporate office.
________________________________________________________________________________________
TalkUSA
After Air America underwent bankruptcy procedures in 2006, Athans co-founded TalkUSA Radio, a liberal radio network.

So much for transparency and accountability...

[AZGrizFan]

It only applies to Conservatives, T-man. I thought you KNEW that.

[Appaholic]

No sh!t....what a moron....see Dems, this is where you lose your moral authority (one of many areas) and, by default, the majority of American support....you're no better than the OTHER guy when attempting to (and spending money doing it) railroad your agenda down the throats of the very people who enabled you to regain power....Dems: once again, starting to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.....

[HI54UNI]

More change we can believe in!

[ASUMountaineer]

The "Fairness Doctrine" sounds a lot like like nationalizing radio so they can control that too. People just don't get it. It reminds me a political cartoon I saw recently.

Obama, Pelosi, and Reid are talking. Pelosi says, "Workers aren't voting to unionize anymore." Reid says, "Let's take away the private ballot and call it the "'Freedom of Choice Act.'" The Reid says, "We are getting killed by conservative talk radio." And, Pelosi says, "Let's mandate that they have liberal talk shows and call it the "'Fairness Doctrine." Then, Obama says, "Won't people think those titles are a bit Owellian?" And Pelosi says, "They won't know what that means." With Reid following, "We've controlled education for years."

This is just another example of many how Washington is trying to turn this into a one state country with them as the parliament and ultimately into a people controlling, socialistic style oligarchy (or plutocracy, take your pick).

[travelinman67]

Moving the clock ahead a few weeks, and reviewing some damning observations about the Democrats TRUE agenda, recall that POS in Profile Waxman's agenda...

http://www.championshipsubdivision.com/ ... ine#p56098

...that would allow the federal government to have greater oversight over the content that TV and radio stations broadcast to the public, and both the FCC and Waxman are looking to licensing and renewal of licensing as a means of enforcing "Fairness Doctrine" type policies without actually using the hot-button term "Fairness Doctrine."

Spoiler: show

"This isn't just about Limbaugh or a local radio host most of us haven't heard about," says Democrat committee member. "The FCC and state and local governments also have oversight over the Internet lines and the cable and telecom companies that operate them. We want to get alternative views on radio and TV, but we also want to makes sure those alternative views are read, heard and seen online, which is becoming increasingly video and audio driven. Thanks to the stimulus package, we've established that broadband networks -- the Internet -- are critical, national infrastructure. We think that gives us an opening to look at what runs over that critical infrastructure."

Also involved in "brainstorming" on "Fairness Doctrine and online monitoring has been the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, which has published studies pressing for the Fairness Doctrine, as well as the radical MoveOn.org, which has been speaking to committee staff about policies that would allow them to use their five to six million person database to mobilize complaints against radio, TV or online entities they perceive to be limiting free speech or limiting opinion.

...well today, the senate passed an amendment by fellow Liar POS Dick Durbin to require...

the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to “promote diversity in communication media ownership and to ensure that broadcast station licenses are used in the public interest.”

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/con ... 02-26.html

Voting along party lines, the Senate passed on a 57 to 41 vote Durbin's amendment that empowers incoming FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski (yup, another EC Columbia/Harvard died in the wool tree-hugging envirowhacko) to use SUBJECTIVE STANDARDS WHEN REVIEWING FCC LICENSING/RENEWALS and the power to impose ownership restrictions upon licensees. Basically, Congressionally empowered to the Chairman to subjectively fv(k with any FCC licensee he doesn't like.

In a prophetic mockery of the process, within minutes of passing Durbin's amendment, the Senate voted 87-11 to pass a DeMint amendment prohibiting revival of the "Fairness Doctrine"...

...for obvious reasons.

1) The House will kill DeMint's amendment.
2) Even if the House didn't...Durbin's amendment gives the Dems the tool they'll need to censor FCC licensees without ever using the words "Fairness Doctrine".

Tman's next prediction:

Look for the FCC under Genachowski to begin redacting, or minimally hiding the identities of FCC complainants so as to conceal the I.D's of the political operatives.

Any bets?