Fairness "Red Herring" Doctrine

There is a Problem. The Fairness Doctrine is Not the Answer. It is picking up steam
From Wizbang:

"Bob Beckel said on Hannity last night that Democrats' bringing back the Fairness Doctrine is a figment of conservatives' imagination"

No, you might have been able to make that case before the election. Now ant number of people are coming out in support of this stupidity.

From Fox News:

"A political battle is brewing over control of the radio airwaves as Democrats consider pushing for the revival of the Fairness Doctrine, an FCC policy that requires broadcast stations to provide opposing views on controversial issues of public importance.

Democratic lawmakers who support the doctrine say it will help increase the number of liberal shows in a landscape dominated by conservative talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh."

Stabenow, Harkin and Bill Clinton are now both on board just for starters.
From News Busters via Michelle Malkin:

"Former President Bill Clinton isn’t pleased that conservatives are allowed to express views counter to his on the airwaves, and wants a re-enactment of the Fairness Doctrine.

In a preview of an interview with liberal talker Mario Solis-Marich to be aired in its entirety Friday, Clinton complained about the money funding “right wing talk shows” like Rush Limbaugh, and believes we should have “more balance in the programs or have some opportunity for people to offer countervailing opinions.”'

It looks as if Obama is starting to cave as well.
From Hot Air:

"It’s an easy question. Does this administration believe in free speech or government censorship? Their sudden inability to provide a clear answer, when they had no problem giving such assurances eight months ago, does not bode well for the answer."

The Talk about this is heating up. More from Hot Air:

'“Where they want it, [liberal radio] succeeds, and where they don’t, it doesn’t.” That seems clear enough to everyone except Press, who responds by naming a list of markets where people don’t support libtalkers. He complains twice about the death of libtalking Obama 1260 in DC without mentioning the fact that its ratings were so low it took a microscope to find its listeners."

Ever heard of a red herring? This is exactly what it is. Obama gets to replace at least one of the committee people in the FCC. In March? April? That is all he needs.

It will not be called the Fairness Doctrine. It has more to do with what those in the administration think is fair. If not through the FCC it will be passed in bill or regulated in in little pieces. In the budget? Bank bailouts? Through treasury measures? The next stimulus? This stimulus? We don''t know the effects of much of any of it.