The Fascist Doctrine

In another shocking (but not altogether surprising) example of the Left's selective protection of our nation's First Amendment, a number of Democrats have been campaigning for the return of the FCC's "Fairness" Doctrine. This is not necessarily breaking news. However, Republican Trent Lott's recent verbal assault on conservative talk radio is as frightening as it may be instrumental in reigniting pro-"Fairness" Doctrine activism.

This law, which would require radio stations to provide equal time for both sides of political issues, is nothing more than an assault on freedom of speech and the free market system.

As much as the NPR crowd would like the government to add active administration to its already questionable regulation of the airwaves, radio is a business before it is a public service. Certainly, radio stations should be required to air public safety alerts. However, the government should not and must not determine what views are and are not expressed over the airwaves - that is fascism plain and simple (Hitler, Mussolini, and Chavez all co-opted the media in the early stages of their respective regimes).

This is nothing more than a left-wing effort to even the playing field artificially because their main mouthpieces (Air America, etc.) are spectacular failures. The government does not force Kroger to shut down close to half of its stores because it is more successful than other chains.

A notice to the Left: if you want "fairness" on the airwaves, start producing better programming and securing more lucrative ad revenue. Until then, go listen to NPR.

Throwing Stones

James Dobson, the outspoken founder of Focus on the Family, a non-profit Christian organization, recently questioned whether soon-to-be presidential candidate Fred Thompson is a committed Christian. He noted that the Tennessee Republican has never spoken publicly about his faith. If Thompson does not discuss his faith publicly, Dobson implied, he will urge the approximately ten million people he reaches through his radio and television broadcasts to support someone else.

Thomspon has indicated that he is a Christian, and I accept him at his word. Dobson should do likewise. The Bible clearly indicates that no one has the right to judge anyone else. That power resides with God and God alone. If Dobson is as knowledgeable about the Bible as he claims, he should have learned that lesson a long time ago.

The Pot and the Kettle

The McCain campaign recently criticized Mitt Romney for apparently changing his position on abortion. McCain calling Romney a flip-flopper is like Lindsay Lohan calling Paris Hilton a skank (that will be the last pop culture reference on here for a long time).

Voters need to realize that Romney was a Republican politician in an incredibly liberal state. He had to dance around issues like abortion in order to get elected. A politician should have the right to change his or her personal opinion on issues - provided he or she does not constantly waver.

McCain is accusing Romney of doing something he does for a living.

Until the Arizona senator maintains a strong, CONSERVATIVE position on anything, he should keep his mouth shut.

At it Again

The immigration reform bill is a disaster on every level, but President George W. Bush and his small circle of sycophant Senate Republicans persist in their efforts to convince opponents that the measure is the best thing since sliced bread. In a recent conference with recalcitrant Republicans, for instance, the president tried unsuccessfully to win converts by vowing to secure America's borders. But we have heard this before. The 1986 immigration reform bill contained similar promises of border security, but guess what? You got it. They were not enforced.

Prove you mean business, President Bush, by securing the borders now and enforcing the laws that are already on the books. Maybe then, and only then, can we get down to business and have a meaningful dialogue on immigration.

An Apology in Order

Republicans who supported the recently failed immigration bill owe the millions who opposed the legislation an apology. Opponents of the bill, including many prominent think tanks, made an exceptionally strong case that the legislation would grant illegal immigrants virtual amnesty and that it would have a ruinous effect on the American economy.

Instead of countering their opponents' arguments in a constructive, systematic way, Republicans who fancied the bill subjected their critics to an avalanche of vituperation, vilification, abuse, and buffoonery. President George W. Bush alleged that those who charged that the legislation would grant amnesty were using "empty political rhetoric" to "frighten" the American people. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who is apparently prone to conniptions, repeatedly questioned the intelligence of the bill's opponents, and on at least one occasion he called those who criticized the bill "bigots." Georgia Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson also charged, in so many words, that those who questioned the soundness of the legislation were a bunch of clueless dullards. I guess those Ph.D. economists at the American Heritage Foundation who took issue with the bill just do not know what they are talking about.

Politicians who deride critics on a personal level do so because it is the easy way out; if you don't have an easy answer to criticism or if you know your point has been exposed as wrong, dodge the issue and sling mud. It's an old Democratic trick that some Republicans have obviously learned all too well.

Our Own Backyard

Supporters of immigration "reform" (including the president himself) rationalize their toothless approach to America's illegal influx by arguing that unskilled and low-skilled immigrants are an important and even necessary piece of the economic puzzle because "they do the work that Americans don't want to do."

This contention is insulting and downright erroneous on a number of levels. In economically depressed states like West Virginia, for example, citizens hungry for a job would be more than happy to hang drywall or pick crops for between $10-15 an hour.

But that's not really the issue. It's not that Americans won't do the work, it's that developers and big agricultural operations would rather empoly illegal labor. Paying an illegal immigrant $10-15 an hour while avoiding payroll taxes and social security contributions will ALWAYS be cheaper than paying an American worker $8 an hour legally.

Until Democrats stop vote grubbing and certain Sunbelt Republicans stop kowtowing to suburban developers, there will be no meaningful enforcement of the rule of law or just punishment of business leaders who are more interested in maximizing profit than in giving their own countrymen and women a fair shake.

McCain Commits Hari-kiri on New Hampshire Stage

Senator McCain's seemingly ceaseless tenure square in the middle of the political road finally got him run over last night. In a Republican "debate" where EIGHT of the other candidates came out firmly against the immigration bill, McCain backed the amnesty measure. Worse yet, he acknowledged the fact that he co-authored this particular piece of legislation WITH SENATOR TED KENNEDY!!!

This bill is quickly becoming a poison pill politically. Unfortunately for McCain, swallowing it whole may have cost him the White House.