Does Obama Need to Oppose the Fairness Doctrine?

“As the President stated during the campaign, he does not believe the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated," White House spokesman Ben LaBolt.

The White House recently issued a statement that President Obama does not believe the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated. However, my question is; “Does it really matter?” This may be a layman’s understanding concerning this; but I don’t think it matters if President Obama opposes the Fairness Doctrine or not. From what I gather the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) can impose this doctrine (and others) as a regulation with or without Obama’s support or opposition.

According to the FCC, it is directed by five Commissioners appointed by the President. The President can designate one Commissioner to serve as Chairperson. And Obama has chosen Henry Rivera, a Democrat who vocally supports reinstating the Fairness Doctrine. These board members are selected from both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Only three Commissioners may be members of the same political party. And doctrines or policies can be drafted, reinstated and/or imposed simply by majority vote. This means, that doctrines, like the Fairness Doctrine can be imposed as FCC Regulation without the approval of Congress or the President’s Office. And there have been many Democrats who have strongly voiced their support for reinstating the Fairness Doctrine. In June 2009 the balance will shift to a Democrat majority.

The Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) states; “The policy of the United States Federal Communications Commission that became known as the "Fairness Doctrine" is an attempt to ensure that all coverage of controversial issues by a broadcast station be balanced and fair. The FCC took the view, in 1949, that station licensees were "public trustees," and as such had an obligation to afford reasonable opportunity for discussion of contrasting points of view on controversial issues of public importance. The Commission later held that stations were also obligated to actively seek out issues of importance to their community and air programming that addressed those issues. With the deregulation sweep of the Reagan Administration during the 1980s, the Commission dissolved the fairness doctrine.”

The Fairness Doctrine does not provide for “fairness,” but instead censorship. Could the imposing of the Fairness Doctrine be part of an overall ploy to centralize the Government in order to control the people of this Nation?

In an October interview Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico stated; “The airwaves are owned by private companies at this point, there is a license given to private companies to operate broadcast stations and that’s the way it should be. All I’m saying is for many, many years (airwaves) were operated under a Fairness Doctrine in this country. I think the country was well-served. I think the public discussion was at a higher level and more intelligent in those days that it has become since.” Was this country well-served? Not according to the reasons for the dissolution of the Fairness Doctrine:

“By 1985, the FCC issued its Fairness Report, asserting that the doctrine was no longer having its intended effect, might actually have a "chilling effect" and might be in violation of the First Amendment. In a 1987 case, Meredith Corp. v. FCC, the courts declared that the doctrine was not mandated by Congress and the FCC did not have to continue to enforce it. The FCC dissolved the doctrine in August of that year.”

In my humble opinion I don’t think it really matters whether or not Obama opposes the Fairness Doctrine. He doesn’t have to. There are others in his administration that can impose these sorts of policies and regulations for him. And it seems to me that this won’t be the only imposition that will be placed upon the American people. And really…, is imposing “fairness” fair? No it’s censorship and the slow suppression of freedoms that should concern every American.

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of G-d our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” – 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NASB).