Your author has always tried to differentiate between a genuine Liberal and one that refers to them self as such. A genuine Liberal is often described as an open minded free spirit. They won’t tell the reader they are Liberal but allow their discourse and action to speak for them. A self professed Liberal as we know them in America are anything but open minded and embrace very little in the way of personal freedom. In fact your author has encountered many of them and describes them as hypocritical bigots. You the reader are in good standing if you agree with them and this thought process is applied to free speech and religion or any other civil liberties we as Americans possess.
Unfortunately for America many of these self professed types are entrenched in the political arena. They replaced what was known as being ‘progressive’. The progressive representation was clearly seen in the era of the Roosevelt and Truman Administrations. These were the champions for the underdog or little guy. With the Kennedy Administration, America witness as the Democrat Party was hijacked by Hollywood and elitists of the Ivey League system. Suddenly graduates of Harvard, Dartmouth and Brown were stuffing the Democrat ranks. Hollywood began to influence the thought process of this political party. It is a relationship that still exists today.
As said many modern day Democrats are from the same self professed cloth. Many on this side of the aisle cry for the desire to have bipartisan legislation but rarely has your author seen them actually deliver on such requests and in fact often act in the opposite manner.
Recently in the news there has been haggling over repealing the Fairness Doctrine. This was ancient piece of legislation was originally rooted in the anti-Communist era that could be found in 1949. The law basically stated that if controversial issues were to be aired on the radio or television that there must be equal balance from opposing side. Some critics regarded the measure as a curb on free speech. One other aspect, from a practical side, was that at the time there were a limited number of radio and television stations. Communication technology had barely begun. The legislation was enforced by the FCC (Federal Communication
In 1986 the Fairness Doctrine was repealed and what spun from it was an industry that would greatly impact American politics. In an almost overnight fashion AM talk radio, most of it to the Right, blossomed and was primarily led by Rush Limbaugh. With the advent of the internet nearly a decade later online Conservative publication lit up the airwaves and the information exchange became unbridled. The ancient medians of television and newspapers took a backseat. This was most notably felt with declining viewers for the three major news network (CBS, NBC and ABC) along with the sliding earnings for such historic newspapers as The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times. Over and over again Republicans filled the ranks of Congress following the Reagan landslide victory over Walter Mondale in 1984 and that of George Bush over Michael Dukakis in 1988. This was followed by the Republican takeover of the House in 1994 followed by another surprise victory during the 2004 Presidential election. Since the late 1960s our country has been striking back and moving to the center-right someone just forgot to tell the modern day Democrats. Many of these victories can be credited to the conclusion of the Fairness Doctrine.
While the Left cultivated Air America, a self-professed Liberal’s version of talk radio, it was met with failure and bankruptcy. More people tune in the Drudge Report rather than reading The New York Times and the only print newspaper still churning out strong profits can be found in The Wall Street Journal. There is always National Public Radio, funded by a portion of your tax dollars and considered by many as left leaning; they too are forced to act in a fundraiser mode several times a month.
Denying the cultural shift in America and showing once again that many of the players are out of sync with the American culture, lefty Democrats are coming out attempting to bring back the Doctrine. Some of the most notable proponents are Democrat Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, your author’s favorite New England blue blood gigolo and failed 2004 Presidential nominee. Others include Democrats Maurice Hinchey (Representative from New York), Congresswoman Louise McIntosh Slaughter from New York, ultra left Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and the even further lefty Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent from Vermont. Senator Whip Leader Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois also chimed in with, "It's time to reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine. I have this old-fashioned attitude that when Americans hear both sides of the story, they're in a better position to make a decision". Once again a condescending self professed Liberal telling his fellow Americans what is best for them.
Self professed Liberal Democrats can’t admit defeat. They still are caught in the 1960s attitude of collectivism that has all but wrecked the party of Truman and Roosevelt. Additionally this plays right into their plans of repealing American advancement as they refuse to recognize their past failures. Freedom of speech they cry except when they disagree as your author has previously pointed out and they are anything but fair.
