March 13, 2012, 7:31 AM ET.Jane Fonda, Gloria Steinem Call For FCC to Ban Rush Limbaugh

[Playinghardball]

In the wake of Rush Limbaugh calling Georgetown Law School student Sandra Fluke a “slut” and a “prostitute,” actress Jane Fonda, women’s rights pioneer Gloria Steinem and activist Robin Morgan want the radio host banned from radio. In an editorial on CNN.com titled “FCC should clear Limbaugh from airwaves,” the Women’s Media Center co-founders compared Limbaugh to “sophisticated propagandist Josef Goebbels,” the man who helped promote Hitler’s racist, genocidal policies in Nazi Germany. The editorial states that Limbaugh “creates rhetorical frames — and the bigger the lie, the more effective — inciting listeners to view people they disagree with as sub-humans.” The women also write, “This isn’t political. While we disagree with Limbaugh’s politics, what’s at stake is the fallout of a society tolerating toxic, hate-inciting speech. For 20 years, Limbaugh has hidden behind the First Amendment, or else claimed he’s really ‘doing humor’ or ‘entertainment.’ He is indeed constitutionally entitled to his opinions, but he is not constitutionally entitled to the people’s airways. It’s time for the public to take back our broadcast resources.” Limbaugh did not immediately respond to a request for comment. [CNN]

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/03/13/jane-fonda-gloria-steinem-call-for-fcc-to-ban-rush-limbaugh/?mod=google_news_blog

[libtodeath]

1. K&R

The piece of shit needs to be made too ashamed to ever show his face in public.

[Cirque du So-What]

2. Jane Fonda AND Gloria Steinem?

The RW troglodytes are fizzing with rabies as we speak.

[exboyfil]

3. I would swear that these folks are in league with Rush

There was no way on this planet that they should have asked to get the FCC involved. The left has overplayed their hand. The economic boycott was very effective (using market forces). Bringing the spectre of censorship is unwise.

[shcrane71]

5. By that logic, you probably think the FDA shouldn't be ensuring we have safe food. Why

not dismantle EPA regulations that ensure we breathe clean air?

I thought fascism was out of fashion, and proved to be too inefficient. Apparently, even DU members are anti-regulation.

[cottage10]

9. I disagree

One of the things the FCC is supposed to do is to make sure the public airways are not promoting hate and violence--after all, they wouldn't give the KKK their own TV or radio station. Limbaugh crossed the line and is no longer an 'entertainer'--his slurs and derogatory language among to an assault on all women. If it was anyone but Limbaugh and the slurs and derogatory remarks against another group such as Blacks or Hispanics, there would have been a call to remove him from the airways long ago.

[ThoughtCriminal]

4. Better solution

Restore the Fairness Doctrine.

[shcrane71]

6. +1

I believe it's still there, it just being enforced.

[catbyte]

7. I think the free market is doing a good job of taking care of him

I see their point, but I really wouldn't want the FCC to turn that misogynistic moran into some sort of right wing martyr.

Diane
Anishinaabe in MI & mom to Leo, Sophie, Taz & Nigel, members of Dogs Against Romney, Cat Division
"We ride inside--HISS!”

[Upton]

8. “This isn’t political"

Sure it's not. Bringing polarizing figures such as Fonda and Steinem into it makes it so...and is good news for Limbaugh.

[onenote]

10. The FCC doesn't have the authority that they want it to exercise

Whether or not, consistent with the Constitution, Congress could give the FCC that authority, or the FCC could adopt rules giving itself that authority, is a separate question. The point is that today, the FCC does not has the legal basis for taking the action being demanded by Fonda and Steinem.

The relevant provision of the Communications Act is Section 326, which limits the FCC's general authority to ensure that broadcasters operate "in the public interest." Section 326 states (as it has since 1934) that:" Nothing in this Act shall be understood or construed to give the Commission the power of censorship over the radio communications or signals transmitted by any radio station, and no regulation or condition shall be promulgated or fixed by the Commission which shall interfere with the right of free speech by means of radio communication."

The one exception is found in the criminal code (it used to be in the Communications Act but was moved in 1948). Section 1468 of Title 18 states that "Whoever utters any obscene, indecent or profane language by means of radio communication shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years or both."

The only time (once in almost 80 years) that the FCC successfully revoked a station's license based on its content was in the late 1960s when, after a 13 year battle that went up and down through the courts a couple of times, it took away a station's license for its repeated and consistent refusal to adhere to the fairness doctrine. But the fairness doctrine isn't on the books any more and therefore the FCC doesn't have any statutory or regulatory basis to tell a station not to carry rush (actually even when the FD was around the FCC didn't have that particular authority) or to revoke a station's license for carrying rush and not "affording reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views on issues of public importance" (even if it could be established that the stations that carry Rush met this standard).

[tularetom]

11. The FCC should not touch this with a 10 foot pole

No better way to make the fat pig a victim than to have the government shut him down.