Senator Debbie Stabenow Wants Congressional Hearings On The Fairness Doctrine

Apparently Senator Debbie Stabenow wants to call broadcasters before Congress to have them explain why there’s not more “balance” to the programming on talk radio.

Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan told radio host Bill Press this week that she thought there needs to be more balance in broadcasting and suggested there would be hearings in the Senate during this Congress on possibly reinstating the fairness doctrine.
She was responding to the news that a liberal radio station in Washington had closed and as part of a discussion about the dwindling number of those stations in the face of the popularity of conservative talk radio.
Asked whether it was time to bring back the fairness doctrine, she said “I think it’s absolutely time to pass a standard. Now, whether it’s called the Fairness Standard, whether it’s called something else.”
She tied it to President Barack Obama’s pledge of more accountability and transparency, saying “I think in this case, there needs to be some accountability and standards put in place.”
Press asked her whether she could be counted on to push for hearings and she answered: “I have already had discussions with colleagues and, you know, I feel like that’s gonna happen, yep.”

I’m sure the fact that Stabenow’s husband, Todd Athans, is the executive VP of liberal talk radio network Air America and would stand to gain substantially from any Congressional mandate on talk radio content has nothing to do with this.
As for the hearings, isn’t the reason obvious? Americans don’t want liberal talk radio. They get enough liberal media from NBC and CBS and ABC and the New York Times and the Associated Press (among others). The liberal radio station that failed in Washington DC that’s referred to by Stabenow above was the one called “Obama 1260″ that featured Ed Schultz (among others) and couldn’t even survive in one of the most liberal enclaves in America during a time of Obama-themed mania.
If people wanted liberals on talk radio there wouldn’t be any need for Congress to mandate liberals on talk radio. And if Americans don’t want it, what business does Congress have in doing it?

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  • http://Array Bat One

    But she is an easy target…

    I don’t know about “easy” … but she’s certainly more than big enough! Warren Sapp wasn’t that wide when he was playing.

  • http://ndgoon.blogspot.com/ goon

    Um, if here husband worked for Air American than she is already tainted because of a conflict of interest.

  • welder4

    Stubby stabmenow fails to realize it will not help her husbands business with fart America, as they are not listened to now, so what dose she think that the people will rush on over there and start listening to his show or shows, not likely to happen . Why would it not cover the news now that has an exclusive agenda that is liberal in nature could not any one who feels or has another point of view claim air time with say MSNBC or would they be off limits like everything in the democrats area , Tax cheats , miscreants and so on.Oh I get it just radio , ok why then would anyone not go and demand time on air America to present opposing views .”The Obama news agency” wow that sounds so mmmm? hitlerish.

  • Bat One

    Considering the economic devastation in Michigan, someone ought to take a hundred pounds or so from Stabenow and redistribute it to some of her needier constituents. If Stabenow gets any bigger, they’ll need to re-bar the Senate podium.

  • eneils Bailey

    Tsk…Tsk…

    If Stabenow gets any bigger, they’ll need to re-bar the Senate podium.

    But she is an easy target…
    House pork personified.
    “How do you vote on this spending bill?”…Oink.
    “Is that a ham under you skirt, or you just glad to see?”
    Don’t suddenly get the urge to leave the house floor and go to lunch when Republicans start talking about pork..

    Sorry…did mean to do that…My apologies to all the pigs out there.

  • James Wilson

    Bring it Debbie! You won’t see another election to the Congress. You are a weak human being and you will be defeated. By the way, did your husband enjoy his paramour in Troy?

  • sc

    Maybe they will force us to listen to Col.(Ed) Schultz.

  • http://www.rabidamerican.net/ Rabid American

    When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

    We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

    That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,

    That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

    Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

    …………..

    Notice to all Lefties:

  • http://www.rabidamerican.net/ Rabid American

    Very near, docdave…..

    An abomination has been created through the last election. A Neo-Marxist regime has been foisted upon us by our own people.

    Under the guise of a magically created “mandate” perpetration of un-constitutional activities are being performed under our noses. Yet all we get are arrogant platitudes and propaganda.

    Card-Check, Gun control, “Fairness Doctrine”, bailouts, ……….

    When will the tipping point occur? When will we have had enough “HOPENCHANGE”?

    Unfortunately we are being driven into communism by our servants because the populace does not understand that they ARE our servants…..

    Flocks of sheep being lead to slaughter by a group of RINOs…..

    God help us all………..

  • http://www.rabidamerican.net/ Rabid American

    All I have to say to these pathetic, fascist, anti-American, lefty pukes is:

    “Go ahead, K*NTS!
    PLEASE light the fuse……

  • Mickey

    They have NPR , it covers areas from coast to coast and it is paid for from our taxes. Try and find one program on it that is remotely “balanced”. There is no commercial enterprise value in left wing opinion. That’s why it can’t survive in a free market. This communist manifesto from the Democrats must end before we become another North Korea where we all dress in unisex costumes like Hillary Clinton and sprout Blogioavitch hair cuts.

    Just STFU Stabenow.

  • docdave

    But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security

    .We seen to be at or near that point now.

  • wtmr

    And if Americans don’t want it, what business does Congress have in doing it?

    I agree with you, but because I’m not too informed on the issue, I’m asking an honest question, so any information/good arguments would be welcome — how do you get around the fact that the radio spectrum is limited, and thus there is only so much space to go around? Someone has to oversee the limited space — presumably Congress. So do they have a role at all? What should it be?

    Thanks –

  • Thomas Paine

    If this thing ever goes through, get ready, because there will be the Mother of All backlashes. It will get real ugly, real quick.

  • Carlene Gauler

    Right now the only real news you hear about is on talk radio. Once that is gone, you will not be able to believe anything you hear & will not know about most of the things happen out there. The something bad that might happen needs to happen now! I say lets take our country back now! REVOLUTION TIME!!!!
    REVOLUTION TIME
    REVOLUTION TIME

  • docdave

    What will be the catalyst for an citizen uprising? What will it take to excite the masses? Violatin of 1st amendment or 2nd amendment rights? They’re already chipping away at them without serious public reaction and they can get away with it because they carefully condition the public with their clever deceitful propaganda. They have used fear for to support their gun control measures and they are using ‘fair’ sympathy to promote speech limitations.

  • welder4

    Geither was tainted also look where it got him .Change we can believe in yes we can, :ha ha ha ha ha ha: , you left winged people got your way and now you just don’t know the one could dis all of you in such a short time .

  • http://www.rabidamerican.net/ Rabid American

    This, coupled with H.R. 45 The Blair Holt “Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009″, and the “Porkulous” bill should just about do the trick.

    But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.

    John Adams

  • SigFan

    Hey, what’s the violation of another Constitutional Amendment between friends? No big deal, just say what we want you to say and we’ll leave you alone.

    If they try to push this through, as Tom Paine says above – real ugly, real fast.

  • http://forums.kikizo.com/ Eddie_the_Hated

    I’ll be sending her an email this week…

  • john

    I think the Fairness Doctrine would do the most good if it was enacted in the public schools. think about it

  • http://suitepotato.blogspot.com/ sayanything-4808

    wtmr:

    I agree with you, but because I’m not too informed on the issue, I’m asking an honest question, so any information/good arguments would be welcome–how do you get around the fact that the radio spectrum is limited, and thus there is only so much space to go around? Someone has to oversee the limited space–presumably Congress. So do they have a role at all? What should it be?

    Thanks–

    It should not be to declare content. Content is based as Rush has repeatedly told his own core conservative audience on them listening in sufficient numbers for prospective advertisers to believe in their own judgment that there is a sufficient likelihood of the audience buying a product or service. If the content doesn’t draw the listener numbers, there’s no point in it because no one gets paid. Not Rush, not his fellows in the syndication business, not the radio stations who carry his show.

    Content is therefore not to be decided by government as government is not in the business of figuring out what people like to watch, listen to, or read.

    Serving the public trust and good is not defined strictly by doing government PSAs. It’s also a matter of whether the people are listening in numbers. If no one listens to a given channel at all, then the broadcaster is taking up important spectrum space, BUT if they are a business and NOT funded by unearned money like say government grants, then simple economics means they will not have operating money in short order, because they have no listeners. The space will be freed as their cease due to being unsuccessful.

    And that is important and forgotten today: PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO FAIL AND GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO TAKE THAT AWAY FROM THEM. Failure is important. You cannot fix what you do not know is wrong much less that which you refuse to admit the very possibility of ever being wrong. Bumping into walls is how you know you turned the wrong direction. No one listening is how you know your audience doesn’t want to hear a specific thing. Absence of success often like many other absences by its absence makes what is missing conspicuous by that absence. A lack of a thing can functionally describe a thing by what is not there.

    (If ten people set out across a flat open even field without obstructions starting ten feet apart and told to walk across the field, but on each run-through some deviate and group, it could be their attraction to each other, or they are perceiving a less preferable course before them, an obstacle, that you don’t see. But their continued avoidance of certain areas over the long run describes something, namely an area that is being avoided.)

    Government’s interest is in making sure that the limited spectrum space is issued to those who have every intent AND show commitment in action to making them a going concern, having listeners/viewers, and keeping that enterprise going indefinitely.

    Liberalism DOESN’T SELL. People perceive the press to already be liberal, and that it has been for decades, that it is already laden with opinion-editorial thinly disguised as news, and they get enough of it and are bored with it. They listen to what is new, different, and says something exciting that is at odds with that. Something that they do agree with on some level.

    Despite claims of twits like Dino, the vast majority of America are right of center, conservative on social and financial issues, and not nearly as stupid as they are constantly taken for.

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