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Hemlock for free press
Waterbury Republican-American ^ | September 27, 2009 | Editorial

Posted on 09/27/2009 11:37:44 AM PDT by Graybeard58

President Obama increasingly is frustrated by his inability to spin the news and control the national debate over his initiatives, particularly health-care "reform." He chiefly blames cable TV (read: Fox News), the 24-hour news cycle and bloggers for focusing "on the most extreme elements on both sides. They can't get enough of conflict; it's catnip to the media right now." To him, commentators and bloggers are the most vexing because he will never bring to heel those not associated with the liberal news media or socialist organizations.

To combat the spread of disinformation, defined as inconvenient facts and opinions with which he disagrees, President Obama proposes to buttress the one news medium that by and large is most reliably liberal and easiest to manipulate: newspapers. He has urged Congress to move ahead with another government bailout bill, the Newspaper Revitalization Act, that would encourage floundering newspapers to reorganize as nonprofit educational corporations. The seemingly altruistic aim is to free newspapers from the chains of capitalism while qualifying them for federal grants and tax breaks.

Enactment, of course, would be the death knell of the free press. It's bad enough that politicians and government bureaucrats can manage the news by the threat, implied or otherwise, of denying access to "journalists" who won't play ball, and that some newspapers have been caught shaping their news report to kowtow to advertisers or selling access to their reporters and editors to lobbyists and politicians. But imagine what newspapers would publish if they were beholden not only to ax-grinding endowers, but to coercive government funders. Laws dictating how nonprofits operate would permit governments to sink their claws further into the Fourth Estate. Before long, newspapers would be reduced to hybrids of Pravda and special-interest newsletters.

Granted, these are dark days for newspapers as they struggle to find their niche in the evolving news business. But just as the shield law wending its way through Congress could lead to the government licensing and regulating "journalists," the newspaper-bailout bill would pull the remaining teeth of the public's watchdog.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 09/27/2009 11:37:44 AM PDT by Graybeard58
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To: Lovergirl; the invisib1e hand; Dream Warrior; surroundedinCT; Holding Our Breath; SuperLuminal; ...

Ping to a Republican-American Editorial.

If you want on or off this list, let me know.


2 posted on 09/27/2009 11:38:57 AM PDT by Graybeard58 ( Selah.)
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To: Graybeard58

Hey, RATs and RINOs, We The People Are Coming in 2010 and 2012; that’s a vow.

http://iowntheworld.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/capitol-view-lo-res.jpg


3 posted on 09/27/2009 11:40:25 AM PDT by ExTexasRedhead
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To: Graybeard58
...commentators and bloggers are the most vexing because he will never bring to heel those not associated with the liberal news media or socialist organizations.

Well, Austin Texas has taken the first step towards the Chavez model by essentially criminalizing blogging that the State does not approve of. So, bringing us "to heel" = jailed for Thought/Hate Crime.

Welcome to ObamaLand (formerly known as the "United States of America").

4 posted on 09/27/2009 11:41:50 AM PDT by kromike
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To: Graybeard58
Enactment, of course, would be the death knell of the free press.

Yes! Do you know how many people are worried about this bailout b/c of money?! Freedom doesn't even cross their minds....pathetic.
5 posted on 09/27/2009 11:44:13 AM PDT by socialismisinsidious ( The socialist income tax system turns US citizens into beggars or quitters!)
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To: Graybeard58

How lame must 0bama be? He has almost every single media outlet in the country shilling for him and he is still being foiled.


6 posted on 09/27/2009 11:49:21 AM PDT by pnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
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To: kromike
Well, Austin Texas has taken the first step towards the Chavez model by essentially criminalizing blogging that the State does not approve of. So, bringing us "to heel" = jailed for Thought/Hate Crime.

Got a link? I used to live in TX.

7 posted on 09/27/2009 11:51:16 AM PDT by greyfoxx39 (ObaMugabe is turning this country into another Zimbabwe as fast as he can with media's help.)
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To: greyfoxx39

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2349129/posts


8 posted on 09/27/2009 11:52:34 AM PDT by kromike
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To: kromike

I did not know about this!


9 posted on 09/27/2009 11:59:05 AM PDT by GeronL
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To: kromike

oh that

I didn’t know about that law


10 posted on 09/27/2009 11:59:58 AM PDT by GeronL
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To: Graybeard58
Even here in Canada, where we have a state-owned national broadcaster (CBC radio and TV); we don't have state-sponsored newspapers — yet. If the U.S. gets it; our homegrown special interest groups will advocate for it incessantly. Please don't let this happen.
11 posted on 09/27/2009 12:04:54 PM PDT by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: Graybeard58
Obama has selected the “czar” of his new Emergency Internet Management Agency. The acronym for the new agency is ENIMA. The person chosen is a Dr. Goebbels (photo below) who described the mission statement of the organization: “To purge any crap about der furh -- er – President Obama out of the internet by any and all necessary means.” Herr Doctor reminded the interviewer that failure to comply with the rules and regulations to be administered by ENIMA will be dealt with “most harshly because ve know ver you live.”

In an effort to assure the public that Obama would use these new powers ONLY in declared cyber-emergencies, Goebbels told AP that “ve vould, fur example, haf to shut down ze internet only fur zings like a fire in ze Reischstag – er -- Capitol, ze federal invasion uf Texas or other renegade states, another uf zos sthupid Tea Parties, a march on Vashington by Jim Thompson und his band uf ruffians und zealots – you know zings uf zat sort.” Und, uf course, zer vill alvays be zat qvestion ve lufed to ask citizens ‘VER ARE YOUR PAPERS?’ LOL.”

Photobucket

12 posted on 09/27/2009 12:09:57 PM PDT by Dick Bachert (THE 2010 ELECTIONS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT IN OUR LIFETIMES! BE THERE!!!)
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To: Graybeard58

btt


13 posted on 09/27/2009 1:35:39 PM PDT by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
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To: Graybeard58

As long as TP remains legal, their circulation will decline.


14 posted on 09/27/2009 1:40:11 PM PDT by rawcatslyentist (Ifanationexpects tobe ignorantandfree,inastateofcivilization,itexpects whatneverwas andnever will be)
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To: Graybeard58
He chiefly blames cable TV (read: Fox News), the 24-hour news cycle and bloggers for focusing "on the most extreme elements on both sides. They can't get enough of conflict; it's catnip to the media right now."

The media aren't dogging the Bummer; they're catting him.

15 posted on 09/27/2009 2:07:17 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (The Democrat party is a criminal enterprise.)
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To: HiTech RedNeck

“(The Democrat party is a criminal enterprise.)”

It’s the truth. I wonder how many understand that truth.


16 posted on 09/27/2009 3:26:19 PM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists...Call 'em What you Will, They ALL have Fairies Living In Their Trees.)
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To: Graybeard58

He wants to control the medium that is IN DECLINE..? GREAT! When it becomes even more clear that that element of control is in place, then that will only hasten its death...

People will get a huge shove onto the net and into the blogosphere.


17 posted on 09/27/2009 4:03:41 PM PDT by gaijin
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To: Graybeard58

Interesting...And if i were a head of state or CEO i would only allow Press passes to legitimate Journalists working for a free press, not a journalist posing as an educator/writer wearing an NEA button...

But it’s too late to play word games with ‘Journalist’ because the Internet with it’s social networking and blogging sites, and instant news sites have outpaced the newspapers with their once a day news cycle...It’s like trying to save the horse and buggy...We don’t need a horse and buggy bailout..


18 posted on 09/27/2009 5:11:40 PM PDT by billmor (As another Freeper said- the lines are drawn, choose your side !)
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To: Graybeard58
Enactment, of course, would be the death knell of the free press.

Dems will force us to subscribe to a liberal newspaper or we'll be fined and jailed - just like what they'll do if we don't buy health insurance...

It's so much fun living under dem rule.

19 posted on 09/27/2009 9:46:57 PM PDT by GOPJ (UN mixing democracies & dictators' is like mixing ice cream and shit-all of it stinks.(Steyn))
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To: Graybeard58
the Newspaper Revitalization Act

I can't believe I'm reading these words.

At some point the megalomanical dope will overstep his lilliputan abilities so far even the hallucinating left won't be able to deny it.

but how much damage must he do before he gets to that point?

It would better to some how press him to it sooner rather than later.

What would Karl Rove do?

20 posted on 09/28/2009 6:47:59 AM PDT by the invisib1e hand (dear world: we are so sorry for Barack Hussein Obama. Can you ever forgive us? ** hang the Czars.)
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