Posted on 10/30/2008 8:24:28 AM PDT by STARWISE
A Federal Communications Commission investigation of on-air military analysts is providing a glimpse of what Democrats and an Obama administration will do to critics once they capture Washington.
The FCC has sent letters to some of the nation's most prominent military analysts -- some of them pro-President Bush and pro-war -- suggesting they may have broken the law when they appeared on television stations to comment on and explain the war on terrorism.
The FCC investigation raises the question of whether a Democrat-controlled Congress and White House next year will investigate -- and perhaps criminalize -- all sorts of actions taken by the Bush administration. Obama is leading in all presidential polls, while Democrats are set to greatly increase their hold on the House and Senate.
The FCC letters came at the behest of two House Democrats, who say the analysts parroted on air the private briefings they received at the Pentagon. This may have broken the law, the lawmakers said.
The probe is sending chills through the ranks of military commentators, some of them decorated war heroes who share their expertise with millions of lay viewers. They see it as one in a series of moves the Left is making to intimidate and shut up its critics.
"We are seeing the dawn of a new era of the current Democratic leadership trying to muzzle free speech and the First Amendment," retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Tom McInerney, a Fox News analyst, told HUMAN EVENTS. "It may be the most invasive intrusion that we have seen in our history. There will be more of these tactics to follow."
Said retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Vallely, one of Fox's first defense analysts, "It's an affront to freedom of speech. As retired officers, we're private citizens and can say anything we want under the First Amendment. The whole thing was to explain to the American people what was going on in war and analyzing it."
Democrats have more in store to try to muzzle conservatives. They talk of reactivating the so-called Fairness Doctrine in which federal government bureaucrats monitor radio and TV programs and rule on their fairness. Conservatives say the real goal is to kill right-leaning talk radio.
Talk radio is the one medium conservatives can turn to for their point of view amid a sea of liberal dogma from the New York Times, Washington Post, Public Broadcasting, the TV networks and Hollywood. If the government forces Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity to present liberal points of view, ratings will slip and the shows might be taken off the air.
"They're going to implement the Fairness Doctrine to basically do away with Right-wing radio," Vallely said. "In their minds, balance means Left wing. It's Socialists trying to infringe on our First Amendment rights."
Begun in 1949 as an FCC policy and then a regulation, the agency abolished the doctrine during the Ronald Reagan administration as an infringement on free speech. Democrats passed a bill to reinstate the policy as law, but Reagan vetoed it. There would be no Reagan to veto the next bill Democrats are likely to enact should Obama win the election.
In the analysts case, the FCC is looking at the practice of the Pentagon providing exclusive briefings on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to retired military officers, who would then use the information on the air.
In the Oct. 2 letters to 19 analysts and various TV networks, the FCC cited a New York Times article which accused the analysts of receiving the Pentagon information in exchange for positive commentary on the air. The letters, signed by Hillary S. DeNigro, chief of the agency's investigations and hearings division, said such an arrangement might violate the Communications Act of 1934.
The FCC sent the letters after receiving a complaint from Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, (D-Conn.) and Rep. John Dingell, (D-Mich.). Dingell has a history of using committee staff to browbeat and investigate Republican administrations.
"In their complaint, Representatives DeLauro and Dingell express concern that the analysts and [TV stations] may have failed to disclose this exchange of consideration to the stations, as required by section 507 of the Communications Act of 1934," said the FCC letter. "They also suggest that the stations may have aired your commentary without making appropriate sponsorship identification announcements at the time such material was aired, as required" by the act.
Some analysts also work for defense contractors who produce weapons systems used in the war. There were suggestions in the Times article that analysts pitched those systems during TV appearances.
McInerney, a hawk on the Iraq war, said the information the Pentagon supplied him and other commentators was the same as provided to the news media.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ended the private analysts briefings. Besides the FCC probe, the Pentagon inspector general is reviewing the program, which was started by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld after the September 1, 2001 attacks.
The DeLauro-Dingell letter to the FCC says, in part, "Our chief concern is that as a result of the analysts' participation in this DoD program, which included the DoD's paying for their commercial airfare on DoD-sponsored trips to Iraq, the analysts and the networks that hired them could have run afoul of certain laws or regulations."
The FCC is giving the 19 analysts 30 days to respond to the charges. [HUMAN EVENTS Editor Jed Babbin was a member of the group of military analysts who met frequently with senior Pentagon officials and participated in the program. He did not receive a letter from the FCC.]
You're assuming that the Quisling MSM will resist control from Obama's Ministry of Truth...
I’m glad you asked the question. I believe everyone must do that with which they are comfortable. However, persistent and aggressive attempts to publicly incite armed insurrection by badgering other posters on this website endangers the existence of this forum. Do whatever one will in one’s personal life, but keep it off this board please.
It appears we will need to somehow receive the truth from a new station called “Radio Free America!”
Remember Radio Free Europe during the “cold war?” Here comes the US version!
Almost all newspapers now are in the tank for the Zero and the like. It’s turning into the old Soviet Union here complete with Pravda and Izvestia.
I visited the old Soviet Union back in the 70’s and believe me, this is NOT WHAT WE WANT for the U.S.!!!!!
I’m sure you’re right.
heh.. ;) I wonder how many people read what Ive written and come to the conclusion that they are NOT alone. Probably as many who are freaked out by the prospect of actually fighting for the things they have taken for granted. Anger is a useful emotion, it has the ability to override the emotions that keep us tied to the status quo. The things that keep us slaves...
You ask what Im doing right now...
How about we start with what YOU will do...
Its obvious you disagree, so.. Lets hear it...
How are YOU going to come to terms existing in the marxist nightmare? or are you just going to deny its existence?
Are you going work within the corrupt system to effect change?
Are you going to elect “conservative” representatives to the state and federal governments?
Are YOU going to go to DC to have YOUR voice heard?
Lol...
Your going to hide in your home and b-tch about things and pretend it isnt so bad, while you thank whatever god you believe in that you still have a job, an internet connection and possibly a 401K.
Your welcome to it.. I choose freedom from the oppressive force of marxism.
“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not for your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”
Im constantly amazed by the brilliance of the men who founded this nation.
God help her, not her fault, but ........
Yep and all of these “conservative” fools who claim they cannot in good conscious vote for McCain are inviting the downfall of this nation.
BTTT
Well...
Lets hear it.
Im curious as to what YOU intend to do...
Lets hear your grand plan for saving this nation from falling into the abyss of socialism.
I will respect the wishes of the moderators and keep it “clean”... But I make no promises about mocking pathetic answers or statements.
So... Lets hear it big boy... Whats the grand plan? How are YOU going to save the nation?
Aaaaaaaaahh!
*******************
She could have worn a ski mask.
More Marxist insurgents, likely.
First, I’m not a “big boy”. Second, I will not be bullied and badgered by you (or anyone else!) on this forum. Reading your posting history I see that you’ve advocated violent insurrection for one thing or another going back to 2005. I think the mods were wise to delete that last post of yours. No single poster has the right to jeopardize the continued existence of this forum, and that’s exactly the kind of rhetoric that’ll do it. That’s my opinion. If you’ve got a problem with it, take it up with the mods.
>>If this Obamanation is elected, be afraid, be very afraid.<<
If I wasn’t a Christian, I would be. Very.
AGGGHH!
She is HIDEOUS!!
Ugly is as ugly does.
That is one doubleplus UGLY guvmint official.
That does not answer the question...
What are YOUR plans?
Tell us ALL how YOU personally are going to bring down the marxist system that barak and the democrats want to inflict upon the people of this nation...
No sniveling about being bullied either, thats how we got into this mess. Its time for cowards to sit down and shut up. Show some backbone, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS?!
bump
What are YOUR plans?
Tell us ALL how YOU personally are going to bring down the marxist system that barak and the democrats want to inflict upon the people of this nation...
No sniveling about being bullied either, thats how we got into this mess. Its time for cowards to sit down and shut up. Show some backbone, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS?!
___________________________________________________________
I'll say it for you more directly so there is no possibility of misunderstanding here: Back off
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.