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First they came for Howard Stern. Now they're coming for Cable TV.
http://action.downsizedc.org ^ | 5 8 05 | downsizedc.com

Posted on 06/02/2005 1:17:06 PM PDT by freepatriot32

The Danger.

No bill has been introduced yet, but Senator Stevens has promised one, and when it arrives it is likely to come straight out of the Commerce Committee he chairs and move directly to a vote with little time for public comment. The time to act is now.

You can read more about this at...

Center for American Progress: Think Again: The New Content Commissars

Jammed.com: Transcript of Sen. Stevens' remarks on Internet "indecency" laws

DownsizeDC.org commentary

This bill would deny you the right to watch mature programming on cable TV for the sake of parents who are too lazy and irresponsible to bear the burden of doing their jobs as parents. Those parents who object to cable TV programming already have several ways to deal with this problem:

They can buy a reduced set of cable programming (this is the approach used by DownsizeDC.org President Jim Babka who has three children under 10).

They can no have cable at all, but rely on broadcast TV only (which is now heavily censored).

They can restrict cable to only one part of their house and not allow their children to watch TV there.

They can block cable channels they consider inappropriate for their children. But some parents, rather than take any of these responsible steps, want Congress to do their parenting for them, at the expense of everyone else who wants to be able to watch mature programming.

And, we might add, Congress has no constitutional authority for such censorship, something that should concern every American who still cares about constitutional legality.

Many Americans have excused broadcast censorship because the government supposedly owns the broadcast spectrum, but no such excuse exists here. Congress can make no claim to own cable networks, local cable providers, or even the TV sets in your home. They simply don't have the authority.

Why Take Action?

Please help us stop the growth of the nanny state.

Please help us stop the Congressional urge to turn the entire country into Disneyland.

Please help us preserve the benefits of adulthood. Please help us preserve the First Amendment.

Please don't reward the busy-bodies who think they know what's best for you and your family.

Please stop the political habit of using children as an excuse for extinguishing American freedom.

Please don't let Congress reward the whining of irresponsible parents who want others to do their job for them. To send your message to Congress opposing this censorship click here.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: 109th; cable; came; coming; electionscongress; fcc; feds; first; for; govwatch; howard; libertarians; now; porn; stern; they; theyre; trashtv; tv
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To: redlocks322
If cable companies don't want to offer affordable basic cable programming without all the smut, then ABSOLUTELY.

Why? This is a private company providing private services to its customers. If the customers don't like those services, they can complain to the company and/or discontinue the service. If enough cable customers are really interested in such an arrangement, the companies will accomodate them.

What you are proposing would be akin to the government telling Wal-Mart what sizes of light bulbs it needs to keep in stock.

Nobody is forced to buy cable.

41 posted on 06/02/2005 1:37:30 PM PDT by Modernman ("Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made. " -Bismarck)
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To: Jibaholic
Our society has reached the point where you essentially have to pull a Timothy Leary, drop out, and live in a bubble in order to raise children with a decent morals. And yet the sex, drugs and libertarianism crowd wants us to make it even more difficult to raise healthy children.

Someone is forcing you to subscribe to cable television?

42 posted on 06/02/2005 1:37:30 PM PDT by malakhi
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To: freepatriot32

1st Amendment during with = 1st Amendment dealing with


43 posted on 06/02/2005 1:37:54 PM PDT by Paul C. Jesup
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To: Modernman
Should government really be telling cable providers how to offer their channels line-ups?

Of course! That's "conservatism". </sarcasm>

44 posted on 06/02/2005 1:38:50 PM PDT by malakhi
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To: Keith in Iowa
Howard Stern is a steaming turd and deserves every bit of scorn he receives. He is a waste of resources.

Robert Byrd is a steaming turd and deserves every bit of scorn he receives. He is a waste of resources.

Ted Kennedy is a steaming turd and deserves every bit of scorn he receives. He is a waste of resources.

Trent Lott is a steaming turd and deserves every bit of scorn he receives. He is a waste of resources.

John McCain is a steaming turd and deserves every bit of scorn he receives. He is a waste of resources.

The democRat Party is a steaming turd and deserves every bit of scorn it receives. It is a waste of resources.

The Republican Party is a steaming turd and deserves every bit of scorn it receives. It is a waste of resources.


The difference being, I can ignore Howard Stern and he doesn't harm my interests, steal my money or my liberties.

45 posted on 06/02/2005 1:39:16 PM PDT by Hank Rearden (Never allow anyone who could only get a government job attempt to tell you how to run your life.)
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To: Hemingway's Ghost

46 posted on 06/02/2005 1:39:22 PM PDT by cmsgop
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To: Jewelsetter

No, that will never happen. Republicans are in charge and we all know Republicans can do no wrong.


47 posted on 06/02/2005 1:39:57 PM PDT by billbears (Deo Vindice)
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To: Jewelsetter
".... but on the other hand I don't like the government deciding what we can and can't watch"

I agree, but....

How dismal and debased does the broadcasting industry have to get before something is done? Or is there no bottom?

Pornography is all over television, it's virtually inescapable. It's also true that the more people watch it the more desensitized they become requiring ever lower standards to generate the necessary "pay-off".

Is public decency now a non-sequitor?

Is access to nonstop fart jokes an inalienable right?

In my opinion the "guardians" of public airwaves in this country have failed miserably. The "arts" community is an open sewer. If the're appealing to me for sympathy and protection, well, I'm sorry but I will not defend pornography.

48 posted on 06/02/2005 1:40:42 PM PDT by Pietro
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What is really needed is a la carte programming on cable/satellite.

That way, I only have to pay for what I want to watch in my home, and nothing else.

49 posted on 06/02/2005 1:41:04 PM PDT by Keith in Iowa (Life's a beach - and Liberals are like the sand that gets in your swimsuit...)
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To: cmsgop
I agree as well as a Stern Listener since "81

I was (past tense emphasized) a dedicated Stern fan from 1986 (when he was first syndicated in Philly) until the Janet Jackson incident when he went over to the Dark Side and became a lefty. Even after he started Bush-bashing after the FCC blow-up, I still tuned in from time to time, but when he started praising Michael Moore, that was the last straw. I have not listened since.

50 posted on 06/02/2005 1:41:24 PM PDT by bassmaner (Let's take the word "liberal" back from the commies!!)
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To: Modernman

You are correct. Maybe that's what needs to be done... a public outcry.

I do like the idea of someone standing up for the decent people of this country. Like the other poster stated, it's really hard to raise kids nowadays when the sex and violence are EVERYWHERE you turn, not just tv. Just another sign of the times.

But, like I said, I'll rely on my rabbit ears.


51 posted on 06/02/2005 1:42:06 PM PDT by redlocks322
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To: Pietro
In my opinion the "guardians" of public airwaves in this country have failed miserably.

The article is about cable television, not broadcast television.

52 posted on 06/02/2005 1:42:07 PM PDT by malakhi
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To: bassmaner
Don't be so sure.:

It is hard to say for certainty where they'll go, in the past courts have consistently struck these type laws down. It's a lot better to stop them from becoming law in the first place.

53 posted on 06/02/2005 1:42:14 PM PDT by Reaganwuzthebest
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To: malakhi
The article is about cable television, not broadcast television.

The level of misunderstanding on this thread coupled with those who are rushing to welcome the Nanny State with open arms...is truly frightening for a conservative website.

54 posted on 06/02/2005 1:46:49 PM PDT by PBRSTREETGANG
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To: bassmaner
I understand your position. For me I laughed through it ,(His Leftest Rant) because he is an idiot when it comes to Politics, he has no understanding and no clear position, never has. He has alot of GOP listeners.
55 posted on 06/02/2005 1:47:15 PM PDT by cmsgop
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To: malakhi

Cutting and pasting means that people can quote posts without actually reading them. Read my response again and you will notice that I say that you have to drop out of society and form a bubble around your children in order to instill good morals in them. There are two pratical problems. The first is that no matter how good of a bubble you create around your children, society will still intrude. Your children will (and should) have non-Christian friends and they will learn all about Eminmen, killing the prostitute after sleeping with her in GTA3, thong underwear etc... The second problem is that being force to raise your children in a virtual bubble is probably not healthy.


56 posted on 06/02/2005 1:48:21 PM PDT by Jibaholic (The facts of life are conservative - Margaret Thatcher)
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To: cmsgop
Yeah, Howard and Robin are pretty clueless when they get rolling about politics. Many of his listeners are "South Park Republicans" like myself--raised with enough decency to recognize crap, but still find endless humor in it.

If the Stevens/Dobson crowd tries to come for "Team America: World Police" Collector's Edition DVD (Durkah durkah. Muhammed Jihad) they'll have trouble.

57 posted on 06/02/2005 1:51:50 PM PDT by Callahan
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To: Keith in Iowa

its been proposed by someone high up, but i haven't heard of anything happening yet.
i love the idea. it gets irritating how huge of a package i have to order to get the 3 channels i want (history, sci-fi and home and garden)


58 posted on 06/02/2005 1:54:46 PM PDT by absolootezer0 ("My God, why have you forsaken us.. no wait, its the liberals that have forsaken you... my bad")
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To: Jibaholic
Your children will (and should) have non-Christian friends and they will learn all about Eminmen, killing the prostitute after sleeping with her in GTA3, thong underwear etc

Why'd you put thong underwear on this list?

59 posted on 06/02/2005 1:55:29 PM PDT by Modernman ("Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made. " -Bismarck)
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To: yellowdoghunter
There used to be a time when what is allowed on TV today would have been unacceptable in the past.

So change the d@mn channel if you don't like it.

60 posted on 06/02/2005 1:55:31 PM PDT by balrog666 (A myth by any other name is still inane.)
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