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Restore The Fairness Doctrine and Apply To ALL Programming – Are You Fraking Kidding Flap?
California Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D- Palo Alto) wants to restore The Fairness Doctrine
There were warnings about the restoration of The Fairness Doctrine after the election of Barack Obama and the overwhelming Democrat victory in the Congress. Although Barack Obama has said he opposes reinstatement of it, we all know how he can change his mind. Also, Flap poo-pooed the idea because technology really had passed The Fairness Doctrine by.Now, however, comes a new proposal by a California Congresswoman, Anna Eshoo which gives Flap pause.
Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, said Monday she will work to restore the Fairness Doctrine and have it apply to cable and satellite programming as well as radio and TV.
“I’ll work on bringing it back. I still believe in it,†Eshoo told the Daily Post in Palo Alto.
The Fairness Doctrine required TV and radio stations to balance opposing points of view. It meant that those who disagreed with the political slant of a commentator were entitled to free air time to give contrasting points of view, usually in the same time slot as the original broadcast.
The doctrine was repealed by the Reagan administration’s Federal Communications Commission in 1987, and a year later, Rush Limbaugh’s show went national, ushering in a new form of AM radio.
Conservative talk show hosts fear the doctrine will result in their programs being canceled because stations don’t want to offer large amounts of air time to opponents whose response programs probably wouldn’t get good ratings.
Eshoo said she would recommend the doctrine be applied not only to radio and TV broadcasts, but also to cable and satellite services.
“It should and will affect everyone,†she said.She called the present system “unfair,†and said “there should be equal time for the spoken word.”
So, the government will be in the speech business? Even where they have no regulatory role or control, e.g. the internet, cable and satellite communications?
Think about this. A Congresswoman, believing that “there should be equal time for the spoken word”, is going to have the government step in and regulate what can be said on privately-owned communication systems, i.e., cable television and satellite radio. And at no point does it cross her mind that this would violate the First Amendment.
How fast do you spell violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution? And, the United States Supreme Court eviscerating the bill/law?
Someone needs to remind the Congresswoman that the government has NO ROLE in regulation of the freedom of speech.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”.
Stay tuned……
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The Fairness Doctrine – Technology Has Passed it By
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Surprise: Attorney General Nominee Eric Holder Omits Hot Rod Blagojevich Connection From U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Questionnaire
Eric Holder (right) appears at a March 24, 2004, news conference with Gov. Blagojevich.No, not really a surprise. Eric Holder failed to mention his past associations with the politically corruption charged Governor of Illinois Hot Rod Blagojevich on a 47 page Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire.
And, about what?
Chicago area casino gambling and organized crime.
Before Eric Holder was President-elect Barack Obama’s choice to be attorney general, he was Gov. Blagojevich’s pick to sort out a mess involving Illinois’ long-dormant casino license.
Blagojevich and Holder appeared together at a March 24, 2004, news conference to announce Holder’s role as “special investigator to the Illinois Gaming Board” — a post that was to pay Holder and his Washington, D.C. law firm up to $300,000.
Holder, however, omitted that event from his 47-page response to a Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire made public this week — an oversight he plans to correct after a Chicago Sun-Times inquiry, Obama’s transition team indicated late Tuesday.
“Eric Holder has given hundreds of press interviews,” Obama transition spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said in a statement. “He did his best to report them all to the committee, but as he noted in the questionnaire itself, some were undoubtedly missed in the effort to reconstruct a list of them.”
Holder signed the questionnaire on Sunday — five days after Blagojevich’s arrest for allegedly putting Obama’s U.S. Senate seat up for sale. The Judiciary Committee asked him to provide lists and “copies of transcripts or tape recordings of all speeches or talks delivered by you” and “all interviews you have given to newspapers, magazines or other publications.”
The “OOPS” excuse is NOT going to wash this time. The GOP Senate Judiciary Committee had better prepare some pointed questions of Eric Holder who has already been tainted by the Bill Clinton pardon of Marc Rich.
Exit questions: Can’t Obama find someone untainted by political scandal for Attorney General? Or, is this the person President Obama wants to cover his own ass once he takes office?
Technorati Tags: Eric Holder, Barack Obama, Rod Blagojevich
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Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel Pushed Hot Rod Blagojevich to Appoint Valerie Jarret to Obama’s Senate Seat
Rahm Emanuel (Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff and former Illinois Congressman) (right) and Gov. Rod Blagojevich at a news conference in 2004
Guess everyone knows who tipped off Valerie Jarrett about Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat, now don’t we?President-elect Barack Obama’s incoming chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, was pushing for Obama’s successor just days after the Nov. 4 election, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.
Emanuel privately urged Gov. Blagojevich’s administration to appoint Obama confidante Valerie Jarrett, and the Sun-Times learned Tuesday that he also pressed that it be done by a certain deadline.
Jarrett was initially interested in the U.S. Senate post before Obama tapped her to be a White House senior adviser, sources say.
The disclosure comes days after Obama’s camp downplayed Jarrett’s interest in the post.
At one point, an “emissary” who said he represented Jarrett had discussions with Blagojevich chief of staff John Harris and the governor about naming Jarrett to the post, according to a criminal complaint.
In addition to the discussions, Emanuel submitted a list of names of candidates suitable to the Obama team to the governor’s administration. Jarrett was not among those names because she had pulled herself out of the running at that point, a source with the Obama camp said.
Obama said Monday that an internal report detailing any staff contacts with the embattled governor or his aide would be made public next week.
Emanuel’s discussions do not indicate he was involved in dealmaking with the governor. However, his deeper involvement creates a sticky political situation for Obama.
An Emanuel source said it was “possible” that Emanuel discussed the appointment with Harris and that a specific date was mentioned. “Valerie was deciding whether she wanted to go the Senate. Others had talked to her about it. There were plenty of people who talked to her about it and thought she would be a good choice,” the source said.
So, what did Rham Emanuel know and when did he know it? And, what did Valerie Jarrett know and when did she know it?
The political web is woven tighter for Rham Emanuel to take the fall for inappropriate political trading for Obama’s Senate seat. Plus, the fact that the Feds have him on tape 21 times discussing the matter with either Hot Rod Blagojevich or his staff will implicate him further in any Blago impeachment, Grand Jury indictment and/or trial.
While Obama is close to Emanuel and notwithstanding David Axelrod’s spin control this morning on “Morning Joe,” Barack Obama will need to assess whether Rham will be able to assume duties of COS to POTUS while under a cloud of political scandal.
Stay tuned……
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Was the SEIU an Obama – Blagojevich Intermediary for the Senate Seat? Part Two
The Blagojevich Private Conference Call, Valerie Jarrett and The Obama Transition Team
Was the SEIU an Obama – Blagojevich Intermediary for the Senate Seat?
Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Rahm Emanuel, Rod Blagojevich, Valerie Jarrett
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Shocker: Barack Obama is the Time Magazine Person of the Year
No, not a shock. The Time Magazine Person of the Year is President-elect Barack Obama.The magazine will feature (hits the newsstands tomorrow) long-lost college photos, an interview with Obama, an explanation of why he was chosen and more.
Who did you think Time Magazine was going to choose Sarah Palin?
By the way, the choice was so noteworthy that Time Magazine’s Jay Carney left Time to become Obama’s VP, Joe Biden’s flack.
Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Time Magazine
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Video: Illinois Wants a Special Election to Replace Obama in the Senate
ILGOP Launches New Ad as Madigan and Jones Refuse to Strip Blagojevich of Senate Appointment Power and Call for a Vote of The PeopleIllinois Democrats have determined that a special election might place Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat at risk. So, while Demcorat Governor Hot Rod blagojevich twists in the wind regarding trying to sell the seat, they abandon the process to give Illinois voters a chance to fill the seat directly.
The script:ANNOUNCER:
“Rod Blagojevich embarrassed Illinois and tried to sell our Senate Seat.
And now Blagojevich’s campaign chairmen are refusing to hold a special election and playing political games.
Blagojevich Democrats said they’d support a special election and went back on their word.
The people of Illinois – embarrassed again.
We should choose our own Senator to represent us – not the politicians in Chicago and Springfield.
We demand a voice.
Call Speaker Madigan and President Jones. Tell them we want a special election.”
Chances of a special election?
Slim and none.
The Illinois Democrats will replace Hot Rod (eventual resignation) with Democrat Lt. Governor Pat Quinn and Quinn will appoint an interim caretaker Democrat while the machine readies another Dem in two years.
Stay tuned…….
Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Rod Blagojevich
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Day By Day by Chris Muir December 17, 2008 – The View From the Left
The Iraqi journalist who threw the shoes at President Bush was a Saddam Hussein Baathist Party supporter/member.Go figure.
Flap supposes he could be wearing a Saddam t-shirt? But, would it be the pre-hanged version? Or how about Saddam celebrating the gassing of the Kurds? Invading Kuwait and killing American soldiers?
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Technorati Tags: Saddam Hussein, Day By Day, Iraq, George W. Bush
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links for 2008-12-17
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It’s official. The old Clinton gang really is back together again. Answering the phones these days for the co-chairman of President-elect Barack Obama’s transition, John D. Podesta, is none other than Betty Currie.
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A committee of the Illinois House considering evidence and testimony in an impeachment inquiry against Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich adjourned its first day of hearings after about an hour on Tuesday, after the governor’s lawyer and the federal prosecutor seeking to indict him both expressed concerns.
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And, no special election legislation – Chicagoland politics as usual -
US President George W. Bush said in an interview Tuesday he was forced to sacrifice free market principles to save the economy from "collapse."
"I've abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system," Bush told CNN television, saying he had made the decision "to make sure the economy doesn't collapse."
Bush's comments reflect an extraordinary departure from his longtime advocacy for an unfettered free market, as his administration has orchestrated unprecedented government intervention in the face of a dire financial crisis.
"I am sorry we're having to do it," Bush said.
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Maybe Bush should let Cheney be President for a month or so. -
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) urged New York Gov. David Paterson to appoint Caroline Kennedy to the Senate seat being vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton, according to a Democratic strategist familiar with Reid's thinking.
Reid and Paterson spoke by phone last week, according to the source. The call was not prompted by Kennedy or anyone in her inner circle but rather was based on Reid's belief in her qualifications to serve and her ability to run for and win the seat in a 2010 special election.
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The fix is in for caroline. -
Team Obama's response has made what should have been a one-day story into a full-blown p.r. crisis. So far, it seems to have adopted the early Clinton-administration approach – turn a minor problem into a big one by mismanaging the media.
The Obama camp has managed to violate almost every tenet of crisis communications – starting with Rule No. 1: Get all the information out quickly, accurately and fully.
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But Obama and Rahm do NOT want the information out until they have stories coordinated. -
Democrats in the Illinois House of Representatives postponed stripping Governor Rod Blagojevich’s power to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama that prosecutors say Blagojevich tried to sell.
The governor, a Chicago Democrat, retains authority to appoint Obama’s successor while the House pursues an impeachment process that may last weeks. Democratic lawmakers led by House Speaker Michael Madigan dropped plans late yesterday to schedule a special election to fill the post after failing to agree in a closed-door meeting, said Steve Brown, a Madigan aide.
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The expectation that Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar will be nominated as Interior Secretary by President-elect Barack Obama presents Republicans with a prime pickup opportunity in a swing state, an early sign that their fortunes may be turning after two disastrous elections in which the party lost a combined 13 seats in the Senate.
Gov. Bill Ritter (D) will appoint Salazar's replacement but that appointed senator will have less than two years to establish himself or herself before standing for election to a full six-year term in 2010.
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GOP's best shot would be for Salazar's brother getting the appointment and then the GOP winning his House Seat. -
In talks with Emanuel and others, sources say, Pelosi has “set parameters†for what she wants from Barack Obama and his White House staff — no surprises, and no backdoor efforts to go around her and other Democratic leaders by cutting deals with moderate New Democrats or conservative Blue Dogs.
Specifically, Pelosi has told Emanuel that she wants to know when representatives of the incoming administration have any contact with her rank-and-file Democrats — and why, sources say.
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Dem turf wars have already started. -
Clinton is focused on her transition to the State Department, people close to her say, and being seen as meddling in the Senate choice would likely make her more enemies than friends.
"Sen. Clinton completely respects the privacy of his process so will not be commenting on it or any individual candidate, nor does any third party speak on her behalf," said her spokesman, Philippe Reines.
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Yeah right….. -
Illinois lawmakers started impeachment proceedings Monday against Gov. Rod Blagojevich as he continued to show up for work in Chicago and firmed up his legal team to fight corruption charges.
The state House of Representatives unanimously authorized a bipartisan committee to explore the possibility of ousting the two-term Democratic governor, by a vote of 113 to zero. But lawmakers did not move forward with a bill to create a special election to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama, which Gov. Blagojevich is accused of trying to sell.
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Should the Dems not pursue a special election who will take the seat for two years? A lame duck Senator before they even started.
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Hot Rod Blagojevich Impeachment Stalls And He Can Still Fill Obama’s Senate Seat
+++++Update+++++
New leaks out of Chicago: President-Elect Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel is reportedly on 21 different taped conversations by the Feds regarding Illinois Governor Blagojevich –dealing with Obama’s vacant Senate seat.
No quick resignation from the Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich over his arrest last week because of allegations he tried to sell an appointment to Barack Obama’s vacant U.S. Senate seat.A committee of the Illinois House considering evidence and testimony in an impeachment inquiry against Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich adjourned its first day of hearings after about an hour on Tuesday, after the governor’s lawyer and the federal prosecutor seeking to indict him both expressed concerns.
Members of the 21-member committee, appointed Monday, said that United States Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald had asked for them more details about the witnesses the committee planned to call in its hearings. Mr. Fitzgerald asked the committee for a formal letter outlining its plans, indicating some reluctance about having witnesses testify who might harm the federal case.
The lawyer for Mr. Blagojevich, Edward Genson, also objected, saying that he wanted to be present at the proceedings. The committee agreed, and Mr. Genson, who was not at the hearing on Tuesday, said he would be there when the committee reconvenes Wednesday morning.
And, Illinois Democrats cancelled plans to craft legislation to take the appointment away from Blagojevich and call a special election.
Democrats in the Illinois House of Representatives postponed stripping Governor Rod Blagojevich’s power to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama that prosecutors say Blagojevich tried to sell.
The governor, a Chicago Democrat, retains authority to appoint Obama’s successor while the House pursues an impeachment process that may last weeks. Democratic lawmakers led by House Speaker Michael Madigan dropped plans late yesterday to schedule a special election to fill the post after failing to agree in a closed-door meeting, said Steve Brown, a Madigan aide.
Blagojevich, 52, has resisted demands he resign since his Dec. 9 arrest by the FBI and accusations he tried to auction Obama’s seat for personal gain and intimidate the Chicago Tribune newspaper into firing editorial writers. Republicans said Democrats, who hold a 67-51 majority in the chamber, seek to avoid a loss of the seat to the GOP in a special election.
So, where do we stand?
Governor Blagojevich has been charged with a two count federal criminal complaint, lawyered up and facing impeachment. He retains all powers of the Illinois Governor and has absolute discretion to appoint a successor to Barack Obama’s Senate seat for a two year interim term.
Next week, President-elect Barack Obama leaves for a Hawaiian Christmas vacation and will not comment on the affair any further until December 22nd.
The speed of this case reminds Flap of recently defeated Congressman William Jefferson – SHEESH.
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Another Day in the Obama – Blagojevich Cover-Up: Do You Have Another Question?
Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Rod Blagojevich
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Did the Iraqi Journalist’s Shoe REALLY Hit George W. Bush in the Head?
Apparently, YES.Flap wants to GAG. Isn’t it enough President George W. Bush screwed up the GOP for possible decades with a poorly conceived and conducted foreign policy, especially in Iraq?
Now, Bush has succeeded in leaving a lasting imprint on the economy.
KEY GRAPH: “I’ve abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system….”
Michelle calls the quote a political epitaph. Flap thinks the President is just burying his reputation deeper.
Shoe anyone?
Technorati Tags: George W. Bush
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Another Day in the Obama – Blagojevich Cover-Up: Do You Have Another Question?
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and President-Elect Barack Obama
The internal Obama Transition Team report (which details any contact their staff had with members of Illinois Governor Blagojevich) will not be released until next Monday, December 22.And, Obama is obviously NOT going to answer any questions about the matter.
At today’s Chicago press conference, Obama was pressed by only one reporter out of four about embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
The president-elect cut the Chicago reporter off — claiming that he didn’t want to “waste†their time –- before they could finish a question about Blagojevich.
“Do you have another question?†Obama asked, indicating the reporter should move on to another subject.
However, the reporter continued, trying to get Obama to remedy a seeming conflict between Obama’s “hands-off†approach dealing with the Blagojevich investigation and his promise for openness and transparency.
“The U.S. attorney’s office specifically asked us not to release this until next week,†Obama said of his Transition Team’s internal investigation that has yet to be made fully public, “The facts are going to be released next week. It would be inappropriate for me to comment.â€
The Transition Team will make their investigation available on Dec. 22nd, which will confirm who on Obama’s staff communicated with Blagojevich. No one on Obama’s staff is accused of any wrong-doing by the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Obama said he has not confirmed the Chicago Tribune’s reporting over the weekend that his incoming Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel, had a conversation with Blagojevich’s staff.
“I haven’t confirmed that it was accurate,†Obama said as Emmanuel looked on from the side lines of the press conference, “I don’t want to get into the details at this point.â€
And, next week Obama and his family will be vacationing in Hawaii and probably be unavailable for questions.
The press is starting to get wise and although there is nothing to indicate at this time Barack Obama’s direct involvement in the selling of his U.S.. Senate seat there remain some unanswered questions, particularly as to the role of his Chief of Staff, and former Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel.
Obama held his news conference shortly after his transition office released a statement by spokesman Dan Pfeiffer saying the internal review had found no wrongdoing.
Like the president-elect, the statement left several issues uncovered.
It did not say whether Emanuel was heard on a wiretap providing the governor’s top aide with a list of names that the president-elect favored. Nor did it say who, if anyone, on Obama transition’s team had made contact with the governor or his aides concerning a replacement for Obama or whether Craig interviewed people under oath, or to whom he talked.
Pfeiffer said the review “affirmed the public statements of the president-elect that he had no contact with the governor or his staff, and that the president-elect’s staff was not involved in inappropriate discussions with the governor or his staff over the selection of his successor as U.S. Senator.â€
So, the exit question: What is Obama trying to hide?
Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Rod Blagojevich, Rahm Emanuel