WHAT COUNTRY IS THIS?

The drumbeat for muzzling talk radio is increasing.  As Radio & Records reports today, Senator

Debbie Stabenow, (D-MI) says, "I absolutely think it's time to be bringing accountability to the airwaves. There needs to be accountability and standards put into place."  On possible hearings she notes, "I have already had some discussions with colleagues and I feel like that's going to happen".    Vladimir Putin would be proud. This is insanity. With thousands of radio stations, TV, the internet, etc there's plenty of varied information out there. Television and print is mostly center-left. Radio has a more conservative voice, yes.  But there are also plenty of on-air left-of-center voices that would also come under the new enormous thumb of government pressure. That's wrong, too. Of course the bureaucrats only want to put a cork in radio while allowing cable and over-air TV and all other media off the hook. It's outrageous what some are proposing. All Americans need to watch this issue and put anti-First Amendment politicians out to pasture.  (One more note: The FCC already has "accountability and standards" in place, Senator. Get a grip.)

PRESIDENTIAL UPDATE: I was chatting with friends today about "success" for the new Commander-in-Chief.  There's plenty of consensus about wanting Mr. Obama to "succeed", as long as we find some common ground on what that means.  I wrote about this a few days ago, but I'm even more firmly convinced that his first job needs to be National Mood Enhancer. The country needs to snap out of its mental funk and soon.  In the meantime, yes--- it's still OK to debate issues and solutions.  But the cheap shots are, well, cheap.  That's always been embarrassing no matter which party's doing it. Stick to the facts, the issues and skip the easy, nasty personal hits.