In an effort to kill it forever, Representative Mike Pence (R-Ind.) is attempting to force a vote on the floor of the House today over the future of the so-called "Fairness Doctrine." Pence already secured passage of the "Free Flow of Information Act" to protect the press and is now launching an effort to nix the ability of the executive branch from re-instituting the woefully unfair "Fairness Doctrine," a relic from the 1980s that deserves to remain dead and buried.
Using a somewhat arcane House rule called a "discharge Petition," Pence and Representative Greg Walden (R- Ore.) are attempting to defy the House majority and force a vote on the measure. A "discharge petition" would need the support of 218 members of the House to force a vote and Pence already has 201 names pledged to support him. He needs only 17 Democrats to join the effort and Pence can defeat the efforts of Nancy Pelosi to block the attempt.
Here is your cue. If you are in a district that sent a Democrat to the House of Representatives, call him immediately and ask him to support Mike Pence's measure. If he can get this measure passed, we can prevent a future Democrat president from re-instituting the "Fairness Doctrine" by using his power to appoint left leaning FCC commissioners who will be compliant enough to reinstate this failed doctrine of the past. If Pence is successful, we can at least stop this newest attempt by the left to secure left leaning media bias and quash conservative voices in the media.
As Robert Bluey of the Heritage Foundation wrote on his Bluey Blog today:
The return of the Fairness Doctrine would be dreadful for broadcasters, many of whom have conservative viewpoints, Pence told a group of conservative bloggers at the Heritage Foundation yesterday. He said many political commentators would quit rather than keep talking because of the paperwork and legal issues that are likely to result.
Not only that but what station owner would go to all the Herculean efforts to include all voices in the political spectrum every single broadcast? Surely station owners would just assume not to have any political commentary at all rather than bend over backwards, lose money, and give their hosts short shrift to satisfy this backwards and oppressive FCC rule?
Bluey continues:
Pence, himself a former radio-show host, was confident yet realistic about his chances of finding the votes. "I don't think freedom is a partisan issue in the House of Representatives," he said. He noted that 113 Democrats voted for a similar measure this summer that prevented the FCC from restoring the Fairness Doctrine for one year. Making that ban permanent won't be as easy.
Folks, we have a chance to kill this abomination against free speech. I urge you folks with Democrat Representatives to call your House member ASAP.
Warner Todd Huston’s thoughtful commentary, sometimes irreverent often historically based, is featured on many websites such as Breitbart.com, among many, many others. He has also written for several history magazines, has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows.
