Senate bars FCC from closing unlicensed stations (satire)

The Senate has barred federal regulators from continuing a policy, expanded 2 decades ago, that used stormtrooper tactics to shut down unlicensed stations that harm nobody.

The Senate vote on the FCC's war on micropower radio was in part a response to the fact that unlicensed broadcasting is almost necessary now to ensure that those of us who are not raging right-wingers get equal time.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) said, "Cautious unlicensed use of the radio spectrum can be useful to restore the free exchange of ideas. The Senate's effort is as American as apple pie, mom, and baseball."

Actually this article so far is just a spoof of a real AP piece. DeMint said no such thing. He's stupid, so of course he'd never say anything that makes that much sense.

Quite the contrary, the Senate has approved DeMint's measure to bar the FCC from reimplementing the Fairness Doctrine.

You can argue all you want about whether the Fairness Doctrine is a good idea. It might not be a high priority for me, but you have to remember that the airwaves are a public trust.

The real issue is DeMint's hypocrisy. He personifies the right-wing policy of "regulation for thee, not for me." Like other conservatives, he wants less regulation for wealthy broadcasters who run established stations - but refuses to come to the defense of unlicensed micropower stations.

These micropower outlets are necessary for the free exchange of ideas to flourish. Perhaps they wouldn't even be needed if there was a Fairness Doctrine or if the FCC would stop rubber-stamping station transfers to right-wing corporations.

If DeMint insists the First Amendment protects established stations from the Fairness Doctrine, then it must also be true that the First Amendment protects unlicensed stations that don't even interfere with any other broadcast. End of story.

You can't have it both ways. But conservatives always try to.

(Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iZo8HqKUQ5LkGkTf0CiQtS7WQlQQD96JF8V00)