In the October issue of O magazine, the DCCC's Donna Brazile did the unthinkable: she used the "F" word - in Oprah Winfrey's publication, no less. Eyebrows are being raised across the political spectrum.
Okay, not that "F" word, but one that is far more controversial: Brazile says her top priority is to bring back the "Fairness Doctrine." She says she'd like to require "holders of broadcast licenses to present controversial issues of public importance in an honest, equitable, and balanced fashion."
To the uninitiated, bringing Fairness to the public airwaves radio and TV - is a no-brainer. But to Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and an army of 550,000 amassed to keep the nation's radio airwaves under "Conservative" control, this could be a call to arms. Is it possible that the Democratic establishment is finally ready for a fight to take control of their message?
Okay, time for a bit of history.
Our elders will remember a time when radio was America's number one source of news and information. And they remember being horrified at how Tokyo Rose and our enemies used the radio to promote hate and propaganda.
So they watched as the Federal Communications Commission and radio station owners worked together to prevent propaganda from ever being broadcast in these United States of America. This coaltion of government and business put the "Fairness Doctrine" in place to ensure a healthy, reasoned discourse so critical to our democracy.
The thing is, radio is still America's number one source of news and information. More people listen to radio than watch television, read newspapers, or go online.
But Fairness? Equal Time? Reasoned discourse? Those went out the window in 1987 with drumroll, please President Ronald Reagan.
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