Republicans removed Fairness Doctrine

In 1987, under Ronald Reagan, the Republicans with the help of judge Ken Starr, removed the FCC’s Fairness Doctrine and granted broadcasters the right to censor stories vital to their audience and silence views that opposed views they held. They invested in AM radio and using the new powers, built a political propaganda empire.

It served them well. They impeached a president by claiming because he lied about sex he could not be trusted and would lie about everything.

Thirty years later we have a Republican president elect who lies about everything, whose ethical conduct violates all norms and who is entering the highest office.

Propaganda, now coined “false news” has enabled the party to sell climate change as a hoax, a sitting president as a foreign born Muslim and a political opponent as the most corrupt candidate in history. Their daily use of propaganda conditioned the party faithful to accept phony stories manufactured by Russian propagandists that her health was suspect, that she created ISIS and other fabrications. It is being used now to suppress news of this president-elect’s endless lies and his involvement in Russia’s hacking of our election.

The Republican’s embraced the political tool of dictators and the engine of extremism and Americans are now paying the price. If America’s democracy, balance of powers and constitution can be enforced to confront this clear and present danger and survive a dictator bent on ignoring legalities – than perhaps we will succeed in making America great again.

This story was originally published January 31, 2017 at 6:20 PM with the headline "Republicans removed Fairness Doctrine."