Ted Poe: “the unfair ``Broadcast Fairness Doctrine'' has reappeared. It is an attempt by the feds to force radio stations to be…”

“the unfair ``Broadcast Fairness Doctrine'' has reappeared. It is an attempt by the feds to force radio stations to be fair and balanced by forcing broadcasters to air opposing views of public importance. Sounds good, but who's going to determine what fair is, the Federal fair police? Are we going to let a bunch of Potomac River bureaucrats determine if a radio station in Tomball, Texas is being fair when it discusses politics? Sounds like government control of speech to me. And fair means different things to different folks. It's too subjective a word for us to even agree on. The Fairness Doctrine would not even promote public discourse. It would, in fact, force radio broadcasters to do away with controversy and maybe go to airing 24-hour music like Willie Nelson's greatest hits. Oops. Someone here might say Willie's not fair and balanced. Anyway, the Constitution is clear. Congress, that's us, shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech. You notice, it doesn't guarantee fair speech. Our forefathers wrote that first amendment to prevent government control of our free speech. So this Fairness Doctrine is neither fair speech, free speech or constitutional speech. And that's just the way it is.”