Fairness Doctrine: Diarist potatohead pushes camel through eye of needle

A well written and reasoned diary that took a long time to read due to constantly stopping to digest what was written regarding Net Neutrality, Media Consolidation and a media Fairness Doctrine. Kudos to diarist potatohead.
Excerpt:
We've got media ownership problems. Too many venues are owned by too few. That's inhibiting the normally more robust competition between programming forms and ideologies. This is the primary reason why progressive / liberal / independent talk isn't growing at the rate it should.
Why not focus on that then? It's not like the two are exclusive, or bound together. It's completely possible to make a strong case for less media ownership consolidation, without having to also tie a new fairness doctrine to it.

And
The problem becomes then, "what is fair?". Do we assign a committee, what are the legal tests, who qualifies them, are minority views included, and it goes on and on and on.
This isn't something we can just pass the "level the playing field law" to fix, because the motivation to chill speech we don't like runs high with all of us, meaning if we start down that road, a lot of valid speech will be chilled.
As always,
BB

Fairness Doctrine (continued discussion)
by potatohead
Sat Nov 15, 2008 at 03:49:38 PM PST
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/15/18111/561/471/661598

Andrea Mitchell is to Hilary Clinton as Nina Totenberg was to Anita Hill

I knew Ms. Mitchell was welded to Ms. Clinton and she….uh. pared her reporting from the campaign trail as she rode alternately in the…..uh…the Clinton surrey and rickshaws but I never thought she would be so inspired as to…uh..as to “run the sword” for Hillary. This she did today by…..uh…reporting that Ms. Clinton was being considered by the Obama administration for Secretary of State.

When Ms. Maddow of the Rachel Maddow show told her this was an uncharacteristic leak from the Obama campaign organization over a twenty one month span, Ms. Mitchell said, totally ignoring Ms. Maddow’s career smashing warning, ..un.. went on to say ”Two sources I’ve known for a long time” leaked the information to me. In true nineteen thirty Hedy Harper, Louella Parson, Elsa Maxwell style, Ms. Mitchell spewed a piece of gossip only the likes of a Cecil B. DeMiles could appreciate in its delivery. In other words, her format and structuring of this gossip was lamentably dated. Old timey! Yesteryear. Designed to cause a wave in the age of the tsunami.

Ms. Mitchell’s endorsement of the Clintons may be yet another reason their daughter Chelsy is not married. The Clintons are endorsed by the Mitchell/Greenspan couple and McCain team and were I a perspective in-law, my wife and I would take pause. It’s having to pretend we like them at those family and holiday functions.

Now if the Obama girls were going to Sitwell Friends in Washington, D. C., we would snatch our two grandsons out of what ever school they were in and put them smack into Sitwell Friends. Associations mean so much these days, it seems. If the press leaves them along, those Obama girls are going to be fabulous women. Fabulous, you hear? Mama’s there, Daddy’s there and educated and retired Grand-Ma’s there. Lord, have mercy!

I strayed. If memory serves me correctly, Ms. Nina Tottenberg floated around the same kind of gossip that resulted in the African American Anita Hill and Supreme Court Clarence Thomas debacles. The oligarchy was angry with Ms. Smarty pants Tottenberg and…uh…covered her career with an ink blotter anchored down with a large crystal glass inkwell. A heavy one, mind you! She has yet to recover her past glories and as Ms. Mitchell basks in her manufactured sunbeams, the oligarchy clouds have abruptly changed course and are heading her way. And as to her much earned new TV show…..well…uh…. “We’ll see” as the expression goes. “After overlooking her, (Sen. Clinton) for VP, this could be awkward” not choosing her for Secretary of State, Ms. Mitchell concluded. As I read on a diary the other day, “Here now, let me sharpen up the point a bit for you”. WOMEN!! (Mumble going down the road, throwing up hands, kicking up dust) Can’t live with them and can’t live without’em! WOMEN!! Ay yah yah!! (Mumble….)
Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-Span and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB

Whose memos: AIPAC or Pres. Obama?

In my opinion, this post presents “A time will tell” situation. Will America become “left, right, center?” A real cliff hanger! The man said, “Change”. I believe him and remain optimistic. Truly developing…….
Excerpt:
Nunn's role has been described by others, speaking anonymously because the transition teams have not been announced, as the leader of Obama's defense transition. Similarly, a senior administration official said former Secretary of State Warren Christopher would advise Obama on his State Department transition...
Obama Taps Veteran Dems For Pentagon, State Handover
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/12/obama-taps-veteran-dems-f_n_143176.html
As always,
BB

The radio and “Sen. Obama goes to church”.

I find a curious relationship between one listening to Sean Hannity from 4-7 Monday thru Friday every week to someone going to Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s church one day a week for twenty years. The characterizations of the ideology of Sen. Obama for attending Rev. Wright’s church remain to date with the reality he will be President of the Sean Hannity listeners. Sen. Obama was forced to denounce his associations with his church and his minister. “Heresy,” they cried! I can not frame the perplexing irony. I can not push the irony further especially in relationship as to what kind of country we are now living in due to the incoming administration. Some say “left” some say “right” some say “center”…….Oyi!

*Excerpt: Kudos to diarist alansmith.
During the run up to November 4th, I spent quite a bit of time listening to WSB-AM in Atlanta, Georgia. My drive time to pick up my son from after-school care is only about ten minutes, so I never heard a full daypart broadcast of any particular show, but I could catch enough of any host to understand their main topic of the day. Sean Hannity's syndicated show runs on WSB-AM from 4-7pm Monday thru Friday and has enjoyed strong ratings and revenue for the station. Hannity's viewpoints support mostly Republican Party ideology and he has a limited number of guests on the show (mostly all are Republicans.) Hannity rarely, if ever, presents a guest who is not a member of the GOP or affiliated in some way.
As always,
BB
*Radio
by alansmith
Tue Nov 11, 2008 at 10:06:11 PM PST
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/12/105/99296/406/659629

Republicans should note Sarah Palin

In my opinion, for monetary reasons, Mainstream Media (MSM) is pushing Ms. Palin further onto the political stage and therefore into the party. MSM knows she is a polarizing figure and nothing drives their money engines and ratings as does a polished polarizer and Ms. Palin has become a polished polarizer.

MSM will manipulate you into spending a lot of money on her via MSM and get you all hung up trying to sell her to the American public. In other words, Ms. Palin is a set-up and the party should get themselves together and start doing some serious thinking. If MSM like her so much, let them put up the dough. Let them feed and dress her and educate her about Africa. You just sit back and watch them spend their money and air time while getting on everybody’s nerves.

My strongest suggestion is to nip this in the bud. Before you know it, Ms. Palin will be sitting on your front door step dressed like Liza Dolittle begging for money to advance her political career and MSM will be hiding behind bushes and trees close by for a “Got’cha!” moment. In the recent climate that has now been set for a leader in America, Ms. Palin does not have a chance. If the Republican party tries to capture my Independent vote for Sarah Palin on a presidential ticket, I can tell them now well in advance; NO! Save your money. I’ve already seen that movie and didn’t like it the first time. “You bet’cha!” she said. (Lord, have mercy. Mumble…)
As always,
BB

Welcome back Dr. John Edwards,

We missed you and hope things are well.
As always,
BB

Tidbits #26

Canvassers speak one language to perspective voters and the voters in turn speak a language they have understood when they vote and the oligarchy interprets the whole process in their language of being left, right, progressive, left and right of center etc.,

This morning on C-Span Washington Journal, Mr. Grover “Americans for Tax Reform” Norguist started his interview by saying, “….everytime Republicans had a bad election they get advice from the establishment to move to the left…”. I changed the channel to BBC due to the fact I really do not understand what those people are talking about when they talk about being “left” or “right” or “right or left of center” and I do not think the targeted individual would know what they are talking about either. It appears to me to be air bubble speech hiding a knowledge of total ignorance. Batshit comes to mind.

I can not imagine Nico, the hero in the diary below, canvassing people asking them if they want to vote left or right of center or if they want to turn their state into a blue state or a red one and taking the time to tell the potential voter, if they not already shut the door in his face, what they have to do.

*Excerpt from diary:
NICO: "I didn't have a strong opinion until the Republican Convention. When I watched McCain, I thought, 'this guy is crazy'. He scared me. What America does affects the rest of the world. In France, if we go along with whatever America has decided to do, we send people to war. And if we don't go along with it, we deal with the scorn of America. I figured I should do what I could to help Obama because I believe that he'll be good for the rest of the world."
Amen. About three doors into our canvass, after getting positive results, Nico was on fire. He was totally all about knocking on doors and talking to voters. It was really, really excellent. When we got back to the organizing location to fill in our tally sheet and turn in our packet, Nico pulled me aside and said, "We're doing another one, yes?". Yes. Ha. :) So off we went to the Del Rey area of Alexandria to get out that vote.
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The Joshua Bolten interview on C-Span was excellent. Learned a lot about the White House gate keeper and the role of Gate keep-elect Rahm Emanual.
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Harold Holjer interview. Book “Lincoln President-Elect”. Mr. Holjer spoke of Irish and Scots and I heard a lot of Irish and Scots names. I just wondered when biographies of past Presidents changed with Jewish and faux Irish and Scots names dominating the names of background people in the biography. It appears the biography of Pres. Obama is going to have the predominance of at least one Muslim name. Are other Black names to follow i.e., Willie or Washington?
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Education of the Obama girls.
When Rev. Jessie Jackson was asked about putting his son into a private school in Washington, D.C., he said every parent knows what is best for his child. Pres. Carter had his daughter in public schools in Washington, D.C. If it were me, I to would think about my child’s future. I would want to put my child in an educational pipeline into the best college I could afford with them surrounded by the brightest and best for future relationships.

I would want them to have a summer with their school friends that would enrich their bonds. I would like for them to be constantly surrounded with their peers and when they have their birthdays or other special occasions, their parents and I would have common interests and aspirations that are within the reach of our children. It is a long ride from the White House to the one or two best elementary schools in Washington, D.C. What about emergencies?

There is the issue of photographs. Many Black families do not know the a photographer is not to take and publish pictures of children without parental permission. It is both a legal and security issue. Will the teacher who could use a few bucks talk about your child to reporters? Who me? Putting my child in private school? Elitist? You bet’cha, now move before I pee on you!
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Bill Kristol Sunday morning said Rahm Emanual hired to keep Nancy "Impeachment is off the table" Pelosi in check. Too late. We already know she's crazy and is a traitor to the American people!
Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-Span and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB
P.S. Exhausted past few days. Cold, daylight savings time adjustments, medications off an hour! Ugh! Hard to stay awake more than three hours at a time. Water makes me thirsty! Irritations abound.

*Barack & Awe In Virginia.
by RenaRF
Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 12:45:57 PM PST
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/9/154557/182/459/657550