Tuesday, October 26, 2004
A BRIEF LIBERTARIAN OUTBURST
Count me as someone who thinks the airwaves should be auctioned off as property rights or long-term leases to the highest bidder and the FCC be abolished or converted into an institution to prevent infringement on those rights to broadcast on a particular part of the spectrum. I've never bought into the whole public airwaves argument but that is currently the law - obligations to serve the public interest and all that - and the law is the law until found unconstitutional. I think it should be and free speech should reign but that's merely my opinion, not the law we live under.
So therefore, if a broadcaster decides repeatedly to attempt to manipulate the electorate by providing false information under the guise of "news" designed to " tilt " the public against a candidate - is that in the public interest ? Isn't that also a calculated attempt to break the recent McCain-Feingold regulations - another stupid law contrary to our liberties -regarding the 60 day time limit and political advertising ? How can it not be ?
Shouldn't then, if we want to follow the law, all of that broadcaster's station licenses be suspended or pulled altogether ? And heavy fines be imposed by the FCC and the FEC ?
If not, why not ?
¶ 2:18 PM
Count me as someone who thinks the airwaves should be auctioned off as property rights or long-term leases to the highest bidder and the FCC be abolished or converted into an institution to prevent infringement on those rights to broadcast on a particular part of the spectrum. I've never bought into the whole public airwaves argument but that is currently the law - obligations to serve the public interest and all that - and the law is the law until found unconstitutional. I think it should be and free speech should reign but that's merely my opinion, not the law we live under.
So therefore, if a broadcaster decides repeatedly to attempt to manipulate the electorate by providing false information under the guise of "news" designed to " tilt " the public against a candidate - is that in the public interest ? Isn't that also a calculated attempt to break the recent McCain-Feingold regulations - another stupid law contrary to our liberties -regarding the 60 day time limit and political advertising ? How can it not be ?
Shouldn't then, if we want to follow the law, all of that broadcaster's station licenses be suspended or pulled altogether ? And heavy fines be imposed by the FCC and the FEC ?
If not, why not ?
¶ 2:18 PM
