Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) to Force Vote Next Week on Bill to Stop Fairness Doctrine
Folks, on issue after issue South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint continues to fight the good fight. He’s our conservative bulwark in Congress and he’s fighting for us in the conservative media:
Today, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), chairman of the Senate Steering Committee, announced that he will offer the Broadcaster Freedom Act (S.34) as an amendment to the D.C. Voting Rights bill next week. The Broadcaster Freedom Act, introduced by U.S. Senators DeMint and John Thune (R-South Dakota), prevents the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from reinstating the Fairness Doctrine, which would suppress free speech by requiring the government to monitor political views and decide what constitutes fair political discourse.
“I’m glad President Obama finally confirmed his opposition to the Fairness Doctrine, which attacks the right of free speech on talk radio, but many Democrats in Congress are still pushing it. With the support of the new administration, now is the time for Congress to take a stand against this kind of censorship,” said Senator DeMint. “I intend to seek a vote on this amendment next week so every senator is on record: Do you support free speech or do you want to silence voices you disagree with?”
This is a fantastic political move by Sen. DeMint and Rep. Mike Pence (R-In) in the House. What’s more, the actual bill is separates the title of the so-called “Fairness Doctrine” from its purpose (which is a very important distinction):
the Commission [The Federal Communication Commission] shall not have the authority to prescribe any rule, regulation, policy, doctrine, standard, or other requirement that has the purpose or effect of reinstating or repromulgating (in whole or in part) the requirement that broadcasters present opposing viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance, commonly referred to as the `Fairness Doctrine’
I fully support this bill and will certainly be following its course in the Senate. We’ll keep you updated.
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I am glad to know that we have at least someone in our Government that stands up for us!