In a morning interview with Fox News’ Bill Hemmer, New York Senator and Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Comittee, Chuck Schumer discussed the need for government censorship over America’s radio airwaves. Comparing political speech, the Nation’s most protected form of First Amendment speech to pornography, Schumer argued that it was unfair for advocates of free political expression on the radio to oppose government regulation, while supporting decency standards, calling it “not consistent.”  Schumer predicted that high Democratic turnout would give he and his colleagues close to 60 seats in the U.S. Senate – margins that would allow for the reimplementation of the Fairness Doctrine, and the curbing of free speech.

The Fairness Doctrine was repealed in 1987, and the result was a flourishing of political discourse on the radio. The success of conservative talk shows such as the Rush Limbaugh Show, and the lack of success by liberal leaning radio programming such as Air America, has led many Democratic lawmakers to seek to limit free expression on the radio in order to eliminate what has become an effective communications tool for conservatives. The Fairness Doctrine does not apply to television and many other forms of media, so “news” organizations like MSNBC can broadcast from a biased (liberal) perspective with impunity.

Schumer did not elaborate on why he felt pornography and political speech were equivalent basis for comparison, or exactly how pornography would work on the radio.

(revisited 7/30/2007) The gentleman pictured above is Kevin J. Martin, Chairman of the FCC. Today Mr. martin became a champion of liberty; rejecting the reimposition of the ‘Fairness Doctrine’, proclaiming,

“I see no compelling reason to reinstate the fairness doctrine in today’s broadcast environment.”

In a letter to Representative Mike Pence (R-Indiana), Martin explained his position:

“Discussion of controversial issues over the airwaves has flourished absent regulatory constraints, and the public now enjoys access to an ever-expanding range of views and opinions. Indeed, with the continued proliferation of additional sources of information and programming, including satellite broadcasting and the Internet, the need for the fairness doctrine has lessened ever further since 1987.”

This position is similar to the position of GOPublius.com (damn, we are good). Reinstituting this liberty-busting, speech chilling policy would have set political dialogue and social commentary back a century, and would have helped the mainstream media reassert its editorial control over the news. Three cheers for Mr. Martin, and for a rare anti-government victory for the Bush Administration.