Election reform and gutting media ownership laws are the issues that must

[henslee]

take a front seat and we must get organized sooner than later. Unless these two pressing issues are dealt with, we will only get screwed again. And we cannot wait until three months before midterm elections to get fired up -- we must get fired up now. When we throw our support to candidates, we must make it damn clear that THESE ARE OUR ISSUES.

Any thoughts? I am not the sharpest tool here and would like to know if I am right.

[wtmusic]

1. 100% agreed

Everything else depends on those two.

[henslee]

4. And its obvious that Conyers,Boxer are on election reform "point" in that

they will be setting the agenda. Provisonal ballots, electronic voting, registration shenanigans all need to be dealt with as well the fact that certain provisions of the voter rights act is set to expire in 2007 or 2008. Provisions such as making it mandatory that voting literature be printed in many languages... and provisions that provide for impartial election observers.

As far as media reform... I do remember Kerry talking about this. Besides undoing practices of consolidation, the goal shold be the re-implementation of the Fairness doctrine into actual law.

[wtmusic]

5. There once was a rule called 'equal time'

where anytime a station expressed an opinion they had to allow equal time for opposing viewpoints. I don't know whatever happened to it but we sure as hell need it back again.

[henslee]

6. You are abzolutely right... here you go...

Fairness Doctrine

From 1949 to 1985, the FCC maintained a policy called the Fairness Doctrine that protected the public interest by requiring that broadcast news be balanced and fair regarding the issues they reported on, presenting alternative views on matters of controversy.

In 1987 a federal lawsuit (Meredith Corp. vs. FCC) struck down this doctrine on the grounds that it had not been specifically mandated by Congress.

In 1987, both houses of Congress voted to put the Fairness Doctrine into law, but the legislation was vetoed by President Reagan. There were insufficient votes to override the veto.

A subsequent attempt to restore the Fairness Doctrine was vetoed by President Bush Sr.

In the absence of the Fairness Doctrine, corporate media outlets, especially those like FNC are able to unduly influence and control public discourse, and misinform the people about critical issues.

For a discussion of the history of the fairness doctrine see This webpage.

Please encourage your representative to co-sponsor Rep. Slaughter's MEDIA Act to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. Read all about it at http://www.outfoxed.org/.

[wtmusic]

8. Terrific

thank you! :thumbsup:

[Goldeneye]

2. You are right.

I think we need to push the fairness doctirine. Assuming that average republicans honestly believe their is a liberal media bias, we should be able to get liberals and conservatives to sign a petition to congress to get in reinstated.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Of COURSE

you are right!

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Save this nation one town, county, and state at a time!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm#why

[Selatius]

7. We had a two year gap in 1992-1994

Congress was lost afterward. I don't see the point in reviving it in a Repub Congress with a Bush White House. It'll die again.

[Kurovski]

9. But, as stated in another post, R's believe there

is a need for fairness in the media.

If they requested that their Reps pass it--and the Reps don't--won't this work against house Republicans?

I mean, what are they gonna tell their consituents? That the "Liberal Media" is a hoax they perpetrated on the Republican public?

Actually, it would be a win-win issue.

[henslee]

10. Exactly. That's why getting non Republicans in is the first step. But it

has to be made clear up front to candidates we back that THESE ARE OUR ISSUES we want them to deal with as soon as it is prudent to do so.

[AmerDem]

11. you nailed it!

these are without a doubt the 2 top issues that need to be dealt with, election reform/media regulation! Bring back the Fairness Doctrine!

[Selatius]

12. I think it's time for more than fairness

We need the Fairness Doctrine back, but I think it's only a stop-gap measure at best. I think some of these news outlets have become too consolidated. I think it may be time to use the Sherman Anti-Trust Act once again. I think the only problem is in proving that they are indeed a monopoly and that they use anti-competitive measures against would-be start-ups.