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Pence pushes vote against Fairness Doctrine |
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By Klaus Marre
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Posted: 10/17/07 01:32 PM [ET] |
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Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) filed a discharge petition Wednesday to force a vote on legislation to ban the so-called Fairness Doctrine. “The time has come to do away with the Fairness Doctrine once and for all,” the lawmaker said on the House floor. Pence’s legislation would require an act of Congress before the Fairness Doctrine, which would require broadcasters to give time to both sides on an issue, can be implemented. A discharge petition allows a lawmaker to force an up-or-down vote in the House if it is signed by a majority of members. “To my colleagues in Congress I respectfully say: If you oppose the Fairness Doctrine, sign the petition. If you cherish the dynamic national asset that is American talk radio, sign the petition. If you simply believe that broadcast freedom deserves an up-or-down vote on the floor of the people’s House, sign the petition,” Pence said. Republicans strongly oppose the Fairness Doctrine, saying it is a tool Democrats use to attack conservative talk show hosts. They are worried that forcing stations to make equal time for liberal talk radio would cut into profits so severely that radio executives would choose to scale back on conservative programming to avoid rising costs and interference from the government. |
