Letters to the Editor
-
One Tool against the Mainstream Media
One of the primary weaknesses of the Democratic Party it seems to be is its inability or unwillingness to use the powers and tools at its disposal in an aggressive and creative long term plan to effect political change. Republicans found think tanks, roll back legislation on a piecemeal basis, and introduce political arguments into the public discourse that will not pay dividends for decades, as all the while Democrats remain oblivious to what is happening or even help ensure their own destruction.
For example, there is a tendency to think of the Mainstream Media as a monolithic entity that must be changed as a whole. But there are fundamental differences that the Democrats could use to their advantage and to effect change. Radio stations and broadcast TV stations are regulated by the FCC, whose commissioners are appointed by Congress. In theory, this is because they are publicly owned. You or I could not set up are own radio or TV station without a license, and even then there are restrictions (otherwise we could set up one in San Francisco and cover the whole country on that frequency). In theory then, they are supposed to be used for the public good, and their are legitimate restrictions on free speech on these stations. So why can't I see Janet Jackson's boobs or hear the f-word but I can hear Michael Savage's hate speech or Ann Coulter accusing liberals (20-30% of the population) of treason (the only crime specifically mentioned in the Constitution, and punishable by death, pretty serious IMO). Democrats should create new regulations, for example, outlawing death threats or calling for anyone to be put to death unless in the abstract or if a specific person has been convicted of a felony. How long until Michael Savage or Rush breaks that one? And when they do, you fine each and every station that aired (in the hundreds or thousands) a small fine a la Janet Jackson. Pretty soon, they get the message or get off the air. And then where will CNN gets its next Glen Beck or MSNBC its Michael Savage? And don't even get me started on yanking tax exemptions for churches that do political campaigning. Democrats need to be more aggressive and use their powers. But then everyone except them seems to know that already.